A Charmed Slayer
by BuffyL
Summary: Buffy and the Charmed Ones are cousins. Veers off from Buffy Season 4 and Angel Season 1. This is an updated version of a previous story. R/R please!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

An eight year old Buffy Summers sat with her fourteen year old cousin Phoebe Halliwell playing a board game. Phoebe's sisters Piper and Prue were in their room doing whatever teenage girls their ages did. Joyce and Hank Summers were downstairs with the Halliwell sisters' grandmother Penelope Halliwell, but Buffy and the girls all called her Grams. Patty Halliwell, the girls' mother, had died when Phoebe was three. Their father, Victor Bennett, was Joyce Summers' older brother.

Victor was estranged from his daughters. He was always working and it was a well known fact that Grams didn't like him at all. But Buffy and the girls were cousins and Phoebe and Buffy had a special connection that no one could bring themselves to break apart. So, Joyce brought her daughter down from Los Angeles whenever she could so she could play with her cousins.

Buffy moved her last piece into place and declared, "I win!" She paused and looked at Phoebe. "You're not letting me win, are you?"

"No way!" Phoebe said. "You're just way smart."

"I'm bored with checkers. Let's play something else."

"Like what?"

Buffy shrugged. "I wish I were older so we could go to the mall or something."

"You can come to the mall. Let's ask Prue if she'll take us."

"Ok!" Buffy hopped up and followed Phoebe down to Prue and Piper's room.

Phoebe didn't even knock. She just walked right in. "Phoebe!" A sixteen year old Piper scolded. "You can't just walk in. You have to knock."

"Why? Were you doing something you shouldn't?" Phoebe asked, not really wanting an answer. "Prue, will you drive me and Buffy to the mall? We're bored."

"I'm busy." A nineteen year old Prue said.

"You're reading a book!"

"It's getting to the good part! Ask Piper. She's got her license now."

"Prue!" Piper said. "I have homework to finish."

"Come on Prue!" Phoebe cried. "Please?" Buffy stood silently in the doorway and tried to look as grown up as possible. She hated being the youngest. She wanted to be old enough and cool enough to hang out with Prue.

Prue sighed and looked at Buffy. "Do you want to go to the mall?"

"Yes!" Buffy said, smiling at her oldest cousin's attention.

"Did you ask your mom and Grams?"

The tiny blonde deflated. "No."

Prue smiled. "Come on." She hopped off the bed and held out her hand to Buffy. "Let's go see if it's ok."

"Wait! I want to go!" Piper said, trailing after them.

"You have homework to finish." Phoebe mocked.

"I can finish it when I get back. It's math, anyway and…."

"You're a math whiz." Prue said. "We know."

"We gotta go Angel." Buffy said, staring down from the garden landing into the lobby of the Hyperion Hotel. She was waiting for her boyfriend to come out of the office.

"I know. I'm coming!" Angel called back.

"Jeez! You take more time getting ready than I do. And I _have_ a reflection!"  
Angel walked out of the office and looked across the lobby at his girlfriend. "The bags are already in the car."  
She shrugged and walked down the stairs towards him. "I know. I just wanted to get there faster."

"Why not just call Leo and have him flash us there?"

"It's called orbing. And no, I'd prefer to drive. We haven't spent a lot of alone time together lately with Wolfram and Hart still after us and all these cases Cordy has insisted we take on."

"See? It's not our fault. We've been busy."

"That's what I was saying! That slug thing last week was just gross."

"Not to mention its babies."

"Even more gross." Buffy shuddered. "I want to take another shower just thinking about it."  
Angel smiled seductively and started to pull on the belt loops on Buffy's jeans. "We could always take one now."  
Buffy smacked Angel's hands lightly, pushing them away. "Angel…. Stop putting this off."

"I'm not putting it off."

Buffy took his hand and pulled him towards the door. "I miss my cousins, Angel. I want to see them again. And I want you there, this time. You never get to come."  
Angel sighed as they walked out to his convertible. Her cousins were _the_ Charmed Ones. He didn't really know what they thought about Buffy dating a vampire and there was always a voice in the back of his head telling him that they would hate him and kill him on site. But they were the closest thing Buffy had ever had to siblings and he had been putting off spending a vacation with them. So, he was sucking it up and going to spend the week with the magically powerful "in-laws".

"What happens when the wrong people get a hold of our baby? They're going to want to kill her or do something bad with her." Piper said.

"Well, I think I can help with that." Buffy said from the doorway.

Phoebe turned. "Buffy! Oh my God!" She ran up to hug the blonde Slayer. "How are you?"

"I'm fine." Buffy turned to Piper. "How are you?"

"I've been better. Demons keep attacking and I keep having nightmares about them attacking." Piper said.

"I know how that is. Being the Slayer keeps demons on the brain 24/7."

"And who is this guy that's always too busy to come visit?" Phoebe asked, looking at Angel.

"Guys, you remember Angel."

Piper stood up and hugged Buffy. "So, you're finally coming to visit?"

"Yes." Angel said.

"Angel, you remember Piper and Phoebe…. And Leo over there. And Paige…. Paige is not here. Where's Paige?" Buffy asked.

"At the magic store in Chinatown." Leo said. "She said she wanted to get more supplies."

"What would she do that for?" Piper asked. "We've got plenty of supplies."

"Well, you know Paige. Always working on being the super überwitch." Phoebe said.

"Well, speaking of the witch…." Piper nodded towards the door where Paige was walking in, a load of bags about to topple over. Angel moved with his vampire speed and caught the bags before they fell.

"Wow, nice reflex…. es." Paige said. "Uh, hi."

"Hi." Angel said. "I believe these are yours." He handed her the bags.

Paige took them. "Um, thanks. I'm sorry. I don't think we've met. Are you a friend of Phoebe's?"  
Buffy walked up. "He's actually a friend of mine."

"BUFFY!" Paige dropped everything, making Piper freeze the bags before they hit the floor, and bounced over to hug the blonde Slayer. "Oh my God! It's so great to see you! How've you been? You look great!"

"I've been fantastic. Thank you. It's great to see you too."

"What are you doing here and who is that?"

"That is Angel."

"Boyfriend Angel that never comes down for visits?"

"Mm hmm. And we're here for a visit."

"For how long?"

"A week or so."

"Where are you guys staying?" Piper asked, walking up with Leo and plucking the bags out of the air. Leo took them and set them on a chair in the living room.

"Well, I was thinking somewhere close. Maybe the hotel that mom and I stayed in last time."

"Oh, don't be silly!" Phoebe said. "You're staying here."

"Where? You don't have enough room."

"You're being silly again. I'll just move into Paige's room and you and Angel can sleep in my room. It doesn't have all that much sunlight when you pull down the shade."

"Wait, doesn't Paige get a say in this?" Paige asked.

"No honey. You're just supposed to smile and nod."

"We don't have to stay here if it's too much trouble for you." Angel said, ever the gentleman.

"No. I'm ok with it. We'd all be happy if you stayed here in the Manor with us." Paige said. "In fact, I'll move stuff around in my room right now to make room for Phoebe."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"No arguing. Go get your bags." Phoebe said.

"I'll help you Angel." Leo said. "We can let the girls have some time together. They can be a little much to handle when they're together."

"Sure. Ok." Angel said, walking out into the night air with Leo.

As soon as the door shut, Paige turned to Buffy. "Wow! Those pictures of him do NO justice. That man is hot AND sexy and a whole barrel full of YUM! And on top of that, he's a gentleman. What a catch!"

"I know." Buffy said. "We've been through a lot in the past, but it's all done now and we can finally be happy…. Even though he's bound to the night because he's a vampire."

"Well, it's like I've always said: you're not really family until you've dated a demon." Phoebe said.

"Or an angel. Works both ways with me."

Phoebe smiled. "Well, how would you guys like to go to P3 tomorrow night with us and celebrate the baby and your joyous return to San Francisco?"

"We would love to."

"Great! Piper's booked Four Star Mary."

"Oh I love that band."  
The door opened and Leo and Angel walked in carrying bags. Angel said, "I was in hiding in Nebraska during the last half of World War II."

"Whatcha talking about sweetie?" Piper asked Leo.

"Angel and I were exchanging stories from a long time ago." Leo said. "Well, not that long ago."

"World War II stories, apparently." Buffy said. "So, which one are you on now?"

"My time on the sub with Spike." Angel said, kissing Buffy softly.

"Ah."

"Ok Phoebe, time to move stuff around so you fit in my room." Paige said.

"I'll help." Buffy said.

"Actually Paige, I need your help in the kitchen." Piper said. "We're going to clean up your little magick experiment from this afternoon."

"I thought I had." Paige said, heading into the kitchen.

"You missed some spots on the ceiling."  
Leo and Angel watched everyone head off and then they looked at each other. Leo smiled. "So, hiding in Nebraska."

Upstairs, Buffy and Phoebe were sitting on Phoebe's bed cross-legged after setting up an air mattress bed on Paige's floor. Buffy was immersed in telling her cousin all about the last few months and the day that Angel came back to her, which was a story Phoebe loved to hear every time they traded stories. "He told me that the Oracles were changing him back and we only had about a minute left. So we kissed and held onto each other and I told him I'd never forget and then next thing he knows, he's back at the beginning of the day before. I'm telling him that we shouldn't see each other until enough time is past and we can start forgetting. It was really eating me up inside telling him that. Then this demon attacked…. And I told him that that's all there really was to say and as soon as I start to head for the door, he grabs my arm and turns me into a kiss. Of course I accepted it, but afterwards I was angry because he had just ruined my whole speech. Then he dragged me downstairs and told me about everything that had happened that day. I didn't know how to react until he asked me to be with him again. He promised that we would make sense of things and find a way to make it work. I talked to Willow and Giles and after about a week's worth of research…. Which I still can't figure out why they never looked all that time before…. They found a spell to bind his soul."

"God, I love that story. It's so romantic!"

"I'm so sorry I haven't called you guys in over a month."

"No. It's completely ok. Wolfram and Hart sounds scary."

"You have no idea." Buffy sighed. "That's why I moved to LA."

"Is there anything we can do to get rid of these guys?"

"Well, to tell you the truth…. I don't know. I really don't think about calling you guys for supernatural stuff. To me you're just you know…. Phoebe, Piper, and Paige…. my cousins. Not the Charmed Ones."

"I understand. To us, you're just Buffy. Not the Slayer."

"Oh! I've missed you guys!" Buffy hugged Phoebe again.

"We've missed you, too. We need to make a pact to never fall out of touch again. We always miss so much stuff when we only miss so little time."

"I know!" Buffy looked at her watch. "Oh man, we've talked too long. Now we don't have enough time to get ready."

Phoebe waved her hands dismissively. "We can catch up." She pulled Buffy off the bed and they headed into Phoebe's closet to pick out clothes.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

Angel and Buffy sat at the booth with Leo, Piper, and Phoebe. Paige was off on the dance floor with one of her boyfriends. Buffy held a Rum Runner and Angel's glass of beer sat on the table in front of them. Four Star Mary was rocking out on the stage and the bar tender was hopping around behind the bar filling drink orders.

"This is great Piper!" Buffy yelled.

"Thanks!" Piper yelled back.

"I really like what you've done with it since I saw it last!"

"It wasn't cheap!"

"All these people coming in? You can afford it!"  
Suddenly the door to the club burst open and the bouncer's head bounced down to the floor. People screamed and tried to run, but anyone who headed for the door was thrown back.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know." Piper yelled over the screaming.  
Buffy and Angel shot to their feet and ran for the door. "Piper! Freeze them!" Buffy yelled. Everyone but Buffy, Angel, Leo, and the Charmed Ones froze where they were. Buffy ran up the stairs as a large demon stood at the top staring down at the patrons. Spittle hung from its mouth and a feral look gleamed in its eyes. It was frozen along with everything else. "I don't get it."

"Get what?" Paige asked as she caught up at the bottom of the stairs.

"This thing's supposed to be peaceful."

"I think the former bouncer would beg to differ." Phoebe said, glancing at the head at the bottom of the stairs.

"No, she's right." Leo said. "This type of demon is a pacifist."

"It doesn't look like one."

"What would make it want to kill?" Piper asked.  
Buffy was about to answer when Piper's freeze wore off and people started screaming and running around again. The demon blinked and then looked at Buffy suddenly standing in front of it. "Hi." She said. It backhanded her and she flew down the stairs, bringing Angel with her as she flew back into him. "Ok, OW!" The demon started to walk down the steps. "Piper, get these people outta here."

"I'll do it. You three might be needed here." Leo said, directing people towards the back door.

Buffy and Angel backed down the rest of the stairs and watched the demon charge down towards them. Buffy tossed Angel out of the way and let the demon tackle her and then she rolled with it, throwing herself off and landing on her feet. The demon charged again and threw Buffy against the wall. The Slayer landed on her feet and threw herself at the demon. It flew back, wrapping its arms around her and taking her with it, tossing her on the stage and into the drum set. "Piper!"

"Oh, sorry!" Piper flung her magic at it and the demon blew up.

Angel ran to help Buffy to her feet, yanking her up harshly. Buffy stared at him, a little frightened, before she turned to Piper as everyone ran over. "Where were you at?"

"Sorry. I was just watching you. I've never seen you move like that." Piper said.

Phoebe touched Buffy's arm. "You're bleeding."

"It'll heal." Buffy said, looking back at Angel warily.

"Maybe we should have Leo heal you and…."

"She said she's fine." Angel growled. They all turned to him. He was in vamp face.

Buffy moved in front of him. "What's the matter with you?"

"Nothing." Angel was fighting back the urge to attack and kill everyone there.

"Nothing? You just growled at us and, oh yeah, you're in 'grr' face."

"That demon just…. It hurt you. It pissed me off. That's all. I'm ok."

"You sure?"

"I said I'm fine." Angel snapped before walking up the stairs. Buffy blinked, looking a little hurt.  
Paige blinked in astonishment. "Wow, he's moody."

"No. That's not him. He's not like that." Buffy said.

"Maybe he's one of those guys that after a while in a relationship... he snaps and becomes abusive."

"Not Angel. I know him better than that, Paige."

"Most girls think…."

"Paige!" Phoebe said, putting an arm around Buffy's shoulder. "She's right. That's not Angel."

"Then it's Angelus." Piper said.

"No. It's not." Buffy said.

"How can you tell?" Paige asked.

"I can see his soul. It's still there."

"When did you get powers?"

"She didn't." Leo said, walking up behind them. "And she's right. That's not Angelus. I've seen Angelus and that's not him."

"When have you seen Angelus?" Paige asked. "Or did you read about him in the Book of Shadows?"

"He's in the Book?" Buffy asked.

Paige nodded as Leo said, "No, I didn't read about him in the book. I was with Buffy when Angelus was loose in Sunnydale. She's been one of my charges since she was born. I was the lucky Whitelighter the Elders chose to watch over the Slayer and the Charmed Ones."

"I'd like to meet Angelus…. Show him what real power is." Paige said.

"You don't want to meet Angelus." Buffy said. "He'd snap you're neck before you could even think about orbing away from him." With that, Buffy followed the path out that Angel had taken. Paige looked a little less than freaked and the others just had somber faces on.  
Outside, Angel was standing against the convertible that he had driven them to San Francisco in. He had his arms crossed tightly across his chest and he was staring off into space, growling slightly. Buffy walked up to him, but he barely acknowledged her. When she put her hand on his cheek, he hesitated, but took her hand in his even though he wanted to rip her to pieces.

"I don't know what's wrong with me, Buffy." He said softly. "Ever since we got here, there's been this…. I don't know. It's like I'm constantly angry and everything in me wants to snap someone's neck or rip their throat out. It's like I can't control my rage. It's taking everything in me not to let it out."

"We'll figure this out. I promise. I'll talk to Phoebe and Piper and we can figure out what's going on." Buffy said. She wrapped her arms around Angel's waist and he laid his head on her shoulder. She was a little nervous about his fangs being that close to her neck, but she trusted Angel to keep a grip on himself. "It'll be ok."

Buffy walked down the stairs and stood next to Phoebe after making sure Angel was safe in bed upstairs. "He said it's something in the air."

"Like what?" Piper asked.

"He doesn't know. He says it's this feeling of pure rage. At the club, it was hard to keep his rage held in. He wanted to kill everyone there. That's so not Angel's feelings. Even Angelus doesn't hold this kind of rage inside him, so it's not natural."

"What do you think it could be?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know, but we have to find out quick. If I lose him again…." Buffy stopped, unable to continue the sentence.

"Leo's checking with the Elders and Paige is in the attic looking through the Book of Shadows." Piper said. "We'll figure this out. I promise."

Suddenly, Leo orbed next to Piper. "The Elders say demons are going crazy all over San Francisco."

"Do they know what's causing it?"

"No, but they know exactly where the most vicious attacks are located right now."

"'Right now'?"

"The center's moving."

"Well, then we go check it out." Phoebe said.

"No. I'll go patrol. I can't stay here and watch Angel suffer like this anyway." Buffy said.

"Ok. Take Leo with you. He can orb you out if anything happens." Piper said.

"Ok. Thanks." Buffy grabbed her coat off the railing and tossed it on, checking her pockets for stakes. She had three, one in each pocket. Taking one out, she handed it to Leo and then looked at Phoebe. "If he wakes up and asks for me…."

"We'll call Leo." Phoebe said.

Buffy nodded and Leo orbed them to a cemetery near where Prue had been laid to rest. They walked along in silence, patrolling for any signs of demonic violence. Finally, Buffy looked up at Leo and said, "I'm sorry about all this. I didn't mean to add more stress on you guys. I mean, with the baby and all…."

"It's ok. We're used to it." Leo said.

"Everything Angel and I have been through…. This is just eating me up inside that there's nothing I can do but wait until there's some butt I can kick." Buffy spotted a mound of dirt starting to move. "Ok, waiting's done."  
Leo moved back and allowed Buffy to work. The newborn vampire burst out of the grave and attacked Buffy viciously without even hesitating. Buffy was barely able to deflect some of the claws it threw her way. Eventually, the Slayer managed to get in a good position and stake the thing. It burst into dust and Buffy brushed herself off.

"You ok?" Leo asked.

"I'll be fine." Buffy looked at the grave. "Man, that was something. He was extra attack-y. Usually newborns aren't that hard to fend off."

"Will you let me heal your face? It looks pretty bad."

"If you insist." Buffy allowed Leo to do his cool healing thing. She grabbed his hand suddenly, stopping him mid-heal, and turned. A pack of demons and vampires moved towards her and Leo. Some of the demons looked familiar and Buffy realized that they were peaceful demons. "I'm starting to notice a slight pattern here." She risked a glance at Leo. "It's affecting all demons. Some just know how to control it, but whatever's making them feel like this…. It's getting too strong for them to contain themselves for very much longer."

"How can you tell?"

"A Slayer's instinct tells her everything."

"Good reason."

"Ok, do you want to fight, or orb?"

"I'd say orb, but we can't let these things hurt any innocents."

"Fight it is then."

"We need more weapons than this." Leo held up his stake.

"Do you see any handy?"

"Be right back." Leo orbed out.

"Oh, great. Leave me with the blood thirsty mob." The demons attacked. Buffy didn't want to kill them because she knew their nature, but if she didn't kill them, they'd just find someone else once they woke up from unconsciousness. So, the Slayer did her best to deflect the demons and stake some of them. Suddenly, all the demons froze. Buffy turned, "Thanks Pip….. Cole!"

"Hi Buffy." Cole said.

"Oh my God! I thought you were dead." Buffy hugged Cole tightly.

"I came back." He said simply. "You should know all about that. What are you doing here?"

"Visiting my cousins. It's so great to see you alive and well." Then it dawned on her that the demons were frozen and she pulled away. "Wait…." She took a step back. "What's…. going on?"

"I picked up a few powers while I was in the wasteland. Didn't Phoebe tell you?"

"I haven't talked to them in over a month. I've been…. Busy. Cole…. That's dangerous. The wasteland is where all the bad demons and warlocks go. You're powers could be….."

"Evil? No. Well, I mean, yeah, they're evil…. But I'm using them for good. I'm trying to redeem myself. For Phoebe."

"But….."

"She's trying to get a divorce."

"I can't believe she didn't tell me!" Buffy was about to say more when Leo orbed back in carrying Buffy's Slayer bag.

"Cole." Leo said.

"Leo." Cole said.

"What are you doing here?"

"Helping Buffy out. Nice to see you too."

Buffy shook her head and stepped between the two men, "Ok, whatever differences we've all got right now, they need to be put aside. These demons need to be taken out now."

"Well, that's easy." With a wave of his hand, Cole incinerated all the demons there.  
Buffy stared at him incredulously. "That's not in any way normal."

"No. Cole's invincible with powers he picked up…." Leo started.

"In the wasteland. Yeah, I got that part." Next to her, Paige and Angel orbed in. "Angel! What are you doing here?"  
Angel grabbed her and hauled her away from Cole. "Mine." He growled.

"Don't want her pal. She's family…. technically." Cole said.

"Paige, what's going on? Why did you bring him here?" Buffy asked, wincing as Angel's fingers bruised her hips.

"He threatened to kill me if I didn't take him to you. And I decided to heed your warning about Angelus." Paige said. "What's he doing here?" She motioned to Cole.

"He helped out." Angel was growling behind Buffy and staring around wildly. Buffy turned, removing Angel's hands tenderly, and stared up into his eyes. His feral glare caught her eyes and he growled before recognition set in. He finally seemed to calm down after a moment. "Shh, it's ok. I'm right here."

"What's wrong with him?" Cole asked.

"Something's making demons all around the city go berserk." Paige said. She moved closer to Buffy and lowered her voice. "He's getting worse Buffy."

"In just one night?" Buffy asked.

"Whatever's going on, we need to figure it out now and…." Suddenly Angel let out a yelp and a hiss before cowering behind a large monument. "Angel, what's…." Buffy looked up to find the sun starting to rise. "We need to get him out of here." She looked at Leo. "Get him back to the Mansion before the sun comes up all the way." Buffy said. Leo nodded and orbed Angel back to the manor.

"He's a vampire." Cole said, sniffing the air slightly.

"Cole, that's Angel."

"Oh, boyfriend Angel. You didn't introduce me."

Paige grabbed Buffy's hand. "We're leaving now. Don't come near any of us unless we ask you too." With that, Paige orbed Buffy and herself back to the mansion.

Buffy looked at Paige a little confused. "Apparently I've missed more than just a bad divorce. What's going on?"

"Cole's evil."

"Again? He didn't seem so evil…. I mean, apart from the crazy powerful demonic powers."

"Phoebe almost got her divorce from him, but he showed up and stopped it. He's doing all these good deeds to try to help woo Phoebe back."

"Phoebe loved him."

"She did…. Does…. But she can't be with him. She doesn't trust him or herself anymore."  
Buffy was about to say something when Angel shambled into the room, avoiding the beams of sunlight. "Angel."  
He took her hand and kissed her forehead. "Hey."

"You seem better."

"Whatever was making me feel angry, it's relaxed. I still feel that rage in me, but it's suppressed, but it's still there."

"So, whatever it was is over."

"Maybe."

"Maybe?"

"The anger flared just before sunrise…. When it was darkest."

"It's stronger at night and the darker it is, the worse it is?" Angel nodded. "Maybe Paige, Phoebe, and Piper can find a way to bind your anger. Make sure you don't get close to Angelus again."

"Are you sure that's safe?"

Buffy looked at Paige who nodded. "If Paige says it is, then it is. We can't risk you getting so close to the edge like that again."  
Angel looked into Buffy's eyes and then nodded. "Ok. If it'll help."

"I'll find Phoebe and Piper and let them know what's going on." Paige said. "I promise that by the end of the day, we'll figure a way to bind Angel's anger and then get to the root of the problem."

Paige started to walk into the kitchen, but Buffy stopped her. "Thank you." The witch nodded and Buffy looked back at Angel. "Let's get you back to bed, huh?"

"I can't sleep." Angel said.

"Well, there's not a lot of places you can hang out around here. The house is really sunny."

"I'll avoid the sunlight." Angel smiled and Buffy hugged him tightly, glad he was back to normal.


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

"Buffy!" Piper and Phoebe called from upstairs.  
Buffy walked up to the attic and opened the door. Angel was right behind her and when she stopped dead, he ran into her. "What is it?" He asked, trying to see past her.

"Grams!" Buffy walked further into the room and allowed Angel to walk in farther.

"Hello Buffy." Grams hugged Buffy tightly for a long while. "Oh! It is so good to hold you again."

"I've missed you so much." Grams was the only grandmother Buffy had ever known. Both of her grandmothers had died before Buffy was born.

"You get more beautiful every time I see you." Grams turned and stared at Angel. "So, this is him, is it?"

"Grams, this is Angel."

"Hi." Angel said.  
Grams gave Angel a scathing once over and then looked at Buffy. "He's still a vampire?"

"Yes."  
Grams turned to the Book of Shadows and flipped through the pages. "Angel…. Short for Angelus…."

"Grams, quit." Buffy took Angel's hand. "You know he has a soul."

Grams found the entry on Angelus. "Yes, I do know he has a soul. I also know what his trigger is, young lady." She pointed to one of the paragraphs on the page.

"A moment of true happiness." Buffy said with Grams. "I know. I've triggered his trigger before." She paused and looked at Piper. "That sentence went to a different place than it was intended. But anyways, his trigger is no longer a problem. That's been solved."

"Grams, we brought you here to see Buffy, not to criticize her choice in men." Phoebe said.

"Don't get me started on choices in men Phoebe Halliwell." Grams said.

"Come on Grams. Be happy for Buffy. She's got a man that loves her and who she loves just as much." Piper said.

"All right. Fine." Grams shut the Book and looked at Angel. "Hello Angel. It's good that you're taking care of my surrogate granddaughter."

"Thank you." Angel said. "I am."

"You also know that if you hurt her again, your little stay in hell will seem like a vacation."

"Grams!" Buffy sighed.

"I understand." Angel said with a small smile. "I would never dream of hurting her intentionally."

Grams nodded. "Good."

"We also called you for some help." Phoebe said. "We've got a demon problem."

"When don't you have one, my dear?"

"Good point…. But, it's actually a demon problem that's spreading all over the city. Peaceful demons are attacking people. There's been reports of it all over the place and P3 was attacked last night while we were there."

Grams looked at Angel. "Are you feeling this power?"

Angel nodded. "It gets stronger the darker it becomes."

"Hmm…." Grams flipped through the Book of Shadows. "You girls go find a way to keep Angel from continuing to be infected with this and I'll stay with the book and try to find what's causing this."

"Do you have any clue what it could be?" Buffy asked.

"Darling, if I did, I would have taken care of it by now. Now go help your cousins dear."

Buffy smiled and followed Phoebe and Piper downstairs. Angel held tightly to her hand. This whole thing was scaring him. Last night he had wanted to kill Buffy and her cousins and savor in their sweet blood. Especially Buffy's. The rage was strong in him and he was having trouble keeping it at bay even when it was daylight out. It was also weakening the wall between him and Angelus. It wasn't supposed to be possible with Willow's spell, but whatever was causing it was powerful enough to start crumbling that wall.

Angelus' voice kept ringing out in his head. _Just let me out and you'll be so much happier._ Angel looked at Buffy, making sure she couldn't see the conflict going on in his head on his face. _You know you want her. You've done it before and you haven't been able to get the taste out of your mouth since. Nothing is as sweet as her blood and you know it._

"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Angel yelled, grabbing his head.  
Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper turned. Buffy moved closer to Angel and took his wrists, lowering them gently. Phoebe looked at Buffy. "Is he going to be ok?"

Buffy ignored everything else and looked at Angel. "Don't listen. He can't come out because you won't let him."

"Buffy…."

"Angel." The tone of her voice caused him to look up at her. "I believe in you."  
Angel shook his head. "It's strong."  
Buffy held his hands firmly away from his head. "You're stronger. I know you are."  
Piper walked up, understanding the love between the two, and put a hand on Angel's bicep. "We're going to help you. I promise."  
Angel shut his eyes tightly and worked on making the wall between him and Angelus more solid in his mind. Buffy slipped one of her hands down from his wrist into his hand and led him to the kitchen, sitting him in a chair. After a second, she decided to sit in his lap and hold him tightly. He held onto her waist gratefully, his eyes still closed, and leaned his head on her chest. She stroked his hair and whispered comforting words to him as Paige, Piper, and Phoebe looked through the spells they had written themselves. It was a big help and Angelus' voice subsided.

A couple of hours later, Grams was still upstairs meditating and talking to her ghostly friends on the other side to see what could have caused the mass demon hysteria. Downstairs, Phoebe flipped through the Book of Shadows searching for a way to bind Angel's anger or to keep an outside intruder out. It was almost dark and Angel was getting edgy. He felt cramped despite the large, airy manor. Buffy was spread out on the couch asleep, her head laying in Angel's lap. He stroked her hair and used her as a distraction from the anger simmering inside him. Just touching her helped quell the anger just a bit.

Piper and Paige were scrying for demons and trying to pinpoint an exact location of where most of them were. Leo kept orbing up to the Elders to get more news, if there even was any. Angel felt useless. He was the one they were trying to help and he hated to just sit around and not be able to help. It just wasn't in his nature.

"AH HA!" Phoebe said loudly, startling everyone in the room.

Buffy shot up. "What's happened? Hand me a stake!"

"No, no silly." Phoebe held up the Book. "I found a spell to find inner peace and balance."

"Oh." The Slayer rubbed her eyes and yawned. "Will it work?"

"It's hokey, but it should."

"Well, let's get to it then."

"Um…..."

"What? What um?" Piper asked. "If it helps Angel then we need to….." Phoebe pointed at the book and Piper read it. "Oh."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know about this." Phoebe said.

"Why? What's wrong?" Phoebe turned the book around so Buffy could read it. "'Sage, eye of newt, blood of a lover, and dagon's root.' What's wrong with that? Are we out of dagon's root?"

"Blood of a lover. We'll need your blood Buffy." Paige said, walking over to her sisters.

"So? Hand me a knife and a bowl."

"You're ok with this?" Phoebe asked.

"Of course I am. It's not the first time I've donated my blood to Angel." Everyone in the room stared at her except Angel. "You know….."

"No. We don't know." Paige said. "Enlighten us."

"I told Prue."

"And she didn't tell us." Piper said.

"Because I told her not to."

"Why?" Phoebe asked. "How come you didn't tell us?"

"I don't know. I called you guys, but for once, it was just Prue there. I was still hurting from Angel leaving and I guess I just didn't want any questions thrown at me about him. Prue promised to take it to her grave and…." Buffy looked down, the pain of Prue's loss still fresh in her mind despite the time that had passed. "I guess she did."

Before anyone could say anything, Leo orbed back in. He looked around at all the silent and somber faces. "Oh God, who died?"

"Nobody." Buffy said. "At least not today." She turned and looked at Angel. He was struggling again, trying to contain the voice of Angelus inside his head. His hands grasped his head in agony and Buffy, hating to see him in pain, placed her hands over his and kissed his forehead. "Let's just get this over with."

"What?" Leo asked, following Buffy and the others into the kitchen.

"We found a spell." Piper said.

Leo nodded and looked at Buffy as she watched Paige and Phoebe start arranging the spell ingredients. "I'll go sit with Angel and make sure he's ok."

"Thank you." Buffy said. Leo left and the Slayer turned back to her cousins. "How long will this take?"

"Not long. All we have to do is mix this stuff and then chant and then add your blood. Which, by the way," Paige set a small bowl and a knife in front of Buffy. "We'll need immediately. So if you're still all gung ho about this, cut away and fill that bowl up almost to the top please."

Without hesitation, Buffy picked up the knife and sliced her palm. The three witches hissed and Buffy didn't even wince as the blood dripped out of her hand and filled the little bowl up. She handed the bowl to Phoebe and then wrapped her hand in a towel. With nothing else to contribute, Buffy walked back into the living room. Angel sat with Leo, but they weren't talking. Leo was watching Angel wearily and Angel had a wild, feral look in his eyes.

"Angel." Buffy said. He didn't look up. "Angel, look at me." She put force behind that one. Her tone made him look up. Her tone would've made the Devil himself look up at her. "You let him out and I'll kill you. I've done it before and I'll do it again if I have to." Angel nodded his understanding. "Are you better?"

"No." Angel said.

"At least you're honest."

He sniffed the air. "Blood." Looked at her. "Yours."

"It's for you."

"I'm not….."

"You wanna keep Angelus at bay? Then no arguing."

"Are they…..?" Leo asked.

"Almost finished. I gave them the last ingredient." Buffy held her hand up to show him the gash. "Wanna help a gal out?"

Leo smiled and took her hand. Within seconds, her hand was gash free. "You're going to wear me out of healing powers."

"Is that even possible?"

"No." Leo smiled up at Buffy. "You remind me of her."

"Who?" Angel asked.

"Prue. She's got Prue's strength."

Before Buffy could say how much that compliment meant to her, Piper walked in carrying a mug. Buffy and Leo walked over to the conservatory with her. "Here." She handed the mug to Buffy. "All he has to do is drink it all."

"Shouldn't be too hard." Buffy said.

"Why?"

"It's got blood in it." She smiled grimly and knelt in front of Angel. "Hey."

"Hey." Angel said, looking at her only.

"Ok, here's the thing. We need you to drink this. All of it."

"It's got your blood in it. I might try to….."

"It's a risk I'm willing to take. We can't let Angelus out."

"No."

"So, plug your nose and shoot it back. You're Irish. You can do it." He took the mug. Without plugging his nose, Angel threw back the liquid. He went into vamp face briefly and looked like he was going to attack Buffy, but then it was over. "How do you feel?"

"Better."

"Can you feel the anger?"

"Pressing in on me, but not getting in. It's quiet now…. Inside. No inner turmoil here." Buffy smiled and snaked up into his arms. He held her tightly and kissed her gently. "I guess you're glad I don't need anger management."

"Not to put a damper on everything, but it's only temporary." Piper said. "We don't have a lot of time to find whatever's causing the demon crazies so we need to work fast."

"I'm with Piper." Angel said. "Leo, you said the Elders knew where most of the violence was located?"

"Yeah." Leo said.

"Then would you take Buffy and I there? We'll see how much damage control we can do."

"Sure."

"You guys stay here and see if you can pinpoint an exact location of all the bad mojo." Buffy said.

"I'm coming with you." Phoebe said.

"Phoebs….." Buffy said.

"No. I'm bored here. Paige and Piper are better witches. I'm better with the ass kicking. Let me come with you."

"All right."

"We'll send Leo if we find something useful." Paige said. "Or I'll orb."

"Good. Oh, Leo?"

"Yeah?" Leo asked.

"After you orb us, can you go up to Sunnydale and grab Willow. She might come in handy." Buffy smiled. "Plus she's been wanting to meet the Charmed Ones ever since she found out they're were my cousins." With that, Leo orbed them out. They found themselves in the middle of a park near the zoo.

"Guys?" Phoebe said when Leo orbed away.

"Yeah?" Angel asked.

"We've got lots of company."

Buffy and Angel looked around to find that they were surrounded by demons and vampires of all shapes and sizes.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

They all dropped into defensive positions and prepared for the onslaught. When it came, the three tried to only knock the demons unconscious, not kill them. They were usually harmless, but tonight they were feral and scary. After about an hour of fighting, the demons had finally stopped coming and the three fighters were trying to catch their breaths. Even Angel was panting.

"Wow, now that I've had my work out for the day….." Buffy said, gasping and holding the hitch in her side.

"This is just too weird." Phoebe said.

"Hey, at least you can levitate outta these guys' way."

"Yeah, I'm not complaining about that." The two women smiled at each other.

Buffy looked at Angel. "Sweetie, you ok?"

"Been better." Angel replied, straightening. "The spell is starting to wear off."

"What? Already?"

"It wasn't going to last long, but it was supposed to last longer than this." Phoebe said.

"Well, we'll make some more." Buffy said. "We'll make extra and maybe try to make the spell stronger."

"No. I can handle it." Angel said. "I'm not having you cut yourself and squeeze out 90% of your blood just for me."

"It's worth it to keep you safe."

"Not to me." Angel took Buffy's hands and pulled her close to him. "Buffy, I've been fighting off Angelus for over 100 years. I'm used to it. This is no different. I promise you that no matter what happens, Angelus is not coming back. Ever." He kissed her forehead and pulled her into a tight hug. _Angeluuuusssssss_….. A voice whispered in his head, but Angel ignored it. He was going to keep this promise to Buffy no matter what.

"I love you." Buffy said, pulling away slightly.

"I love you." He took her hand and turned back to Phoebe. "So, where to now?"

"I don't know. I don't think that all this demon activity could be centered right around WHOA!" Phoebe said, looking past Buffy and Angel. The two spun to find a stubby looking demon with a long appendage hanging off the front of its face like a trunk. Its beady little eyes watched them wearily as its hand moved to a dagger hidden in its robes. "What the hell is that?"

"I have no clue." Buffy said. "I don't think it wants to hurt us though."

"Are you sure?"

"It's just standing there like it's ready to defend itself. I don't think it wants to attack."

"Good."

"We could take it if it did attack though. Just look at it."

"Buffy, you know better than anyone to judge by appearances." Angel warned.

"I know the drill."

"I'm happy you do." Angel took a step back and Buffy followed. The demon's hand moved away from the dagger. "See, no harm."

Suddenly, a man ran out of the bushes and dashed across the grass. Another demon with the trunk thing was giving chase. "Then again….." Buffy said as she and Angel took off after it. Buffy tackled the demon and made sure she had the dagger in its robes. Angel looked back to find the other demon who had stood there was gone. Buffy kicked the demon and got ready to strike with the dagger, but a sucking sound came from behind the demon and then it was gone. Sucked up into Lord knows where. "Oooook."

"Look." Phoebe said, picking up the bowling ball bag the guy that was being chased had dropped. The guy was nowhere to be found. "He dropped this."

"Whatever's in there, that demon was hard up for it." Buffy said. "And they are way stronger than they look. If it had gotten a hold of that guy before we got to him….." She let the sentence hang.

"We should get back to the Manor and see what's in here."

"I'm with Phoebe." Buffy looked at Angel. He was staring off into the distance, the feral look gleaming in his eyes. "What?"

He looked at her and his vamp face slid away. "Nothing. Let's just get this thing to safety."

"Whatever 'this thing' is." Buffy hefted the bag. "Leo!"

"Maybe we should try to find that guy and see what that demon was after him for." Phoebe said.

"Whatever's in this bag is what I'm betting."

"Good point."

"I guess we'll find out whenever we get inside the bag and find out what this thing is. LEO!"

"What's taking him so long?"

"I don't know."

"Leo! Get your butt down here now!"

Angel wasn't listening to them. He was looking off into the distance trying to keep his rage under control. Being so close to that thing wasn't very good for him. It pushed through the weakening spell and invaded his senses. Behind him, the man that had supposedly disappeared ran out and tackled Buffy and Phoebe. They dropped to the ground and Buffy lost her grip on the bag. The man scooped it up and ran away with it. The farther away he got, the better Angel felt.

Buffy sat up and looked at the man's form shrinking into the distance. "Well, that was rude."

"Tell me about it." Phoebe said.

"What was rude?" Leo asked behind them.

Phoebe and Buffy both jumped. Angel turned and helped Buffy to her feet as Leo helped Phoebe. "We had the thing that was causing the rage in the demons."

"How could you tell?" Buffy asked.

"Whatever was in that bag…. it was strong. I could barely contain myself. That's why I was frozen and couldn't help you two out."

"We need to find that guy again." Phoebe said. She turned to Leo. "And where were you? We called you three times."

"Sorry." Leo said. "I was with the Elders."

"What's up?" Buffy asked.

"They said the center of the anger doesn't matter anymore. Its spread and it doesn't matter where the center is anymore. We've got to stop this and soon." Leo looked at Angel who was staring off in the direction of the man and his bowling ball bag. "Really soon."

Suddenly, the trees all around them started to rustle and a streak of greenish-yellow something flashed behind one of the larger trunks. They were in a clearing in the middle of a large park and there was nowhere to take cover except in the trees and that was where the greenish-yellow somethings were hiding. The four grouped together back to back and stared at the moving tree limbs.

"Leo….." Phoebe said.

"No. We can't leave." Buffy said. "These guys will attack someone else. An innocent."

"She's got a point." Leo said.

"I know she does. Doesn't mean I have to like it." Phoebe said. "So, can you tell what they are?"

"Not really." Buffy said. "They keep darting back and forth. I can only see what color they are."

"They're Slith demons." Angel said.

"How do you know?" Phoebe asked.

"I can smell them. I've come across these guys before in LA. They don't usually run in packs and they're peaceful."

"So they'll just blindly attack us like the others did, right?" Buffy asked.

"Um, well….."

"What are you _not_ saying?"

"They have these spitballs that they rub in their arm pits."

"Gross!"

"Don't underestimate it. The spitballs are poison….." Angel was cut off when a spitball flew from the trees and headed straight for Buffy. Angel's hand shot out and caught it before it could touch her.

"Oh my God!" Phoebe said.

Angel's arm started to twitch. Buffy looked at him worriedly. "What are the effects?"

"Oh, death for humans." Angel said, gritting his teeth.

"And vampires?" Leo asked.

"I'll wish I was dus….." Angel fell to the ground writhing in pain. It look like he was having a massive seizure. The pain was immense, but the anger from the outside stopped. His mind was peaceful once again. It was now focused on the pain and agony caused by the poison before the world went black for him.

Buffy sat in the chair that Leo had orbed upstairs for her. She was in Phoebe's room watching over Angel. His spasms looked incredibly painful and when he wasn't spasming, he was completely paralyzed. He had been unconscious for almost a whole day and night. Twilight had come and gone and it was now eight o'clock. Grams had long since gone, no longer needed. She had said goodbye to Buffy before going. There was nothing any of them could do because Angel wasn't human and there was no way that Leo could heal him. There was also no known cure for Slith poison. Willow had looked it up. She was downstairs with Paige trying to work on a protection spell that would cover everyone no matter where they went.

Another spasm hit Angel and Buffy was out of her chair and by his side. She gripped his hand tightly as he gripped her hand with bone crunching force. He didn't mean to grasp so tightly, it was just his muscles going into the spasms from the poison. This one wasn't as bad as the others had been so Buffy wanted to assume that Angel was starting to get better.

"I don't know how you could stand that." Cole said, standing right behind Buffy.

"You're not supposed to be here." Buffy said, wiping away a tear with her free hand.

"He's going to crush your hand."

"I'm the Slayer. I can take it."

Cole relented and touched Buffy's shoulder comfortingly. "What's wrong with him?"

"Slith poison. I don't know if he's going to make it through this." Buffy turned to look at Cole, her eyes shining with tears. "You're a demon now."

"I'm not a demon."

"Well you have demonic powers that make you invincible. I know that that takes a lot of power to become that way. Cole, if you can fix Angel….. Please, I'll do anything you ask if you'll just help him."

"I've never heard of anyone making it through a Slith poisoning before. There's not many cases of it happening because they're usually peaceful."

"But they were human. Angel's not human. He's not a normal vampire either. Please Cole."

Cole loved Buffy like she was his little sister. She'd stood by him along with Phoebe when everyone else had questioned his loyalties. She understood impossible love. He couldn't deny her this. Especially not with the look she was giving him now. "I'll do what I can." With that, Cole was gone.

"Buffy?" Phoebe knocked gently as she came in. "Is he awake? I heard voices."

"He's not awake." Buffy said.

"Who were you talking to?"

"Cole."

"Cole? Why was he here?"

"I don't know. Frankly I don't care. He's going to find a way to help Angel."

"Buffy….."

"I know what's going on between you two and I know he's all demonic-powers-guy now, but I don't care. I will go to the ends of the earth and back to help Angel. If enlisting Cole's help saves him, then I'm willing to take the risks that come with it." Buffy looked at Angel as he relaxed again, still in pain. "Phoebe….. I don't know what I would do if I lost him again." The Slayer broke down in tears, sliding off the bed and onto the floor.

Phoebe walked over to Buffy and sat next to her. Buffy laid her head on Phoebe's shoulder and cried. Phoebe hugged and rocked Buffy. "Shh. I'm sorry Buffy. I know how much you love Angel. You would go to the Underworld and become one of them if it would save him. I knew how you felt once. I just want you to be careful. Cole is dangerous. He turns people into water coolers just to get a second alone with me."

Buffy looked up. "I don't care how many water coolers pop up in this world. If Cole can find a cure, I'm willing to take that chance."

Phoebe nodded. "I came up to ask if you wanted something to eat. Willow said that you don't eat much according to your friends Doyle and Cordelia."

"I'm not hungry. Maybe later."

"Too bad. As family, I order you to eat." Phoebe got up and went out into the hallway. She came back with a big brown bag. "I brought some extra for me in hopes that I could stay up here and help keep watch with you."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you."

Phoebe pulled out cartons of Chinese food. "We didn't know exactly what kinds of this stuff you like, so we got a little bit of everything."

"Crab wontons, sweet and sour chicken, rice, lots of duck sauce, and fortune cookies."

"Works for me."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Empty cartons of Chinese food were scattered around the floor of Phoebe's bedroom. Buffy sat on the bed, squeezing Angel's hand as he went through another spasm and Phoebe sat in the chair watching. It had been an hour since Cole had went off to find a cure for the Slith poison. Buffy stroked Angel's forehead and whispered comforting words. She kissed his brow a couple of times and then looked at Phoebe, still squeezing Angel's hand tightly.

Phoebe sat up. "If anyone can find a cure for Angel, it's Cole."

"I thought….." Buffy started.

"I still love him. I think a part of me always will. But I don't trust him. I can't trust him. Not after everything. But he's come through for me in the past and I'm sure he'll come through for you."

"Why?"

"Because you're the one person other than me in this family that trusted him through everything. I think you're the one person that understands him better than me. Well, I think Angel can relate to him the most out of all of us, but I'm talking strictly family here. He always saw you as a little sister to him."

"Wow, I have a demon for an older brother." Buffy smiled slightly. "But I do understand everything you two have gone through. Can I offer some advice?"

"Sure."

"After everything that Angel and I have been through, there's one thing that I can testify for and that is: People _can_ change. I didn't know if I could trust Angel after he got back from Hell. I barely trusted myself. But evil Angel and good Angel are two separate entities. Cole's no different."

"No, he is. He's got these demonic powers that could turn on me and…."

"Phoebe, I'm the expert on the 'tread softly' relationships. After I found out what Angel's trigger was, do you know how softly we had to walk around each other? We'd had one amazing night together and then poof! It was gone. If we gave in, Angelus was out and about again and I'd probably be dead. Cole's no different than Angel. He loves you Phoebe and you love him. Sometimes that's enough to make it through."

"If only you'd been here. If only you'd seen what he put me through."

"You know what Phoebs? Forget about it. Do whatever you think is right and maybe it'll all work out. That's what I did." Angel gasped and then went into another spasm. Buffy jumped and squeezed his hand, giving him a focal point through the ordeal. "Shh. Just ride it out. You can do it. Cole will be back soon and he'll have the antidote for this."

Phoebe stood and walked to the door. "I'll be right back. I'm going to get some cold water and a washcloth and check on things downstairs."

"Thank you." As soon as Phoebe was out the door, Buffy called, "Ok, she's gone."

Cole shimmered into view. "Thanks."

"You should just show up with her in the room. Makes things much easier. Plus, having more voices in my head than just mine brought back bad memories."

"Sorry, I just don't know what kind of reaction to expect from Phoebe right now."

"Did you find anything?"

Cole held out a little vile of pink-ish liquid with black swirls in it. "Get this down his throat and give it about half an hour."

"How'd you find this?"

"Contacts in the underworld. Not really that important right now."

"I'm trying."

"Trying what?"

"To work on Phoebe. She still loves you, she just doesn't trust you."

"I know."

"If she takes an example from Angel and I….. Maybe she'll come around soon and you'll be back with her."

"Thank you."

"No, thank you." Angel started to go into another spasm. "I better….."

"I'll help."

"Ok. How strong of a grip can you handle?"

"Pretty strong."

"Ok, hold his other hand while I try and get him to calm down."

"He's going through a seizure, how can you calm him down?"

"I've calmed him down before."

"All right." Cole took Angel's other hand and squeezed. When Angel's muscles contracted again, he squeezed Cole's hand tightly. "Ow."

"I warned you." Buffy sat next to Angel and then laid her head on his chest. She gently ran her fingertips up and down Angel's sides and kissed his chest and face. Angel slowly relaxed and Buffy sat up. "That's how I make him calm down. Now help me get this in his mouth. I think he'll swallow on his own." Cole opened the bottle and handed it to Buffy. She gently opened Angel's mouth and poured the liquid in. "Sorry sweetheart." Angel sputtered, but Buffy had her hand clamped over his mouth so none of the liquid would come out. He swallowed it and then Buffy relaxed.

"He should be fine soon." Cole turned to go.

"Wait." He turned back and Buffy wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug. "You're a good man Cole, don't let anyone tell you differently. You walk a fine line and I understand that line all too well. Thank you…. for helping us."

"Anytime." Cole shimmered out and Phoebe walked in.

"Hey. Is he ok?"

Buffy looked at Angel. "He'll be fine in about thirty minutes."

"How do you….."

"Cole stopped by."

"He found an antidote?"

"Yeah."

"Oh."

"I'm just going to sit here and wait." Buffy curled up next to Angel.

"What if he spasms?"

"I'll be fine."

"Ok. Willow's coming up to see you, but I can tell her you'll be down in a little while."

"No. She can come up. It's fine."

Phoebe left and Buffy curled up tightly in the chair. A minute later, Willow lightly knocked on the door and walked in. "Hey Buff."

"Hey Will." Buffy stood and hugged her best friend. "I've missed you so much. Sorry I don't come down for more visits."

"You're where you're happiest. I wouldn't wish for anything better for you." Willow looked at Angel. "How's he doing?"

"He'll be ok soon. Cole, uh... Phoebe's soon-to-be ex-husband... stopped by and dropped off a potion that should cure Angel."

"I'm sorry I couldn't find anything for him."

"It's ok. I know you tried." Buffy sighed and then sat back down. Willow took a seat on the vanity chair. "So, how do you like hanging out with the Charmed Ones?"

"It's so cool. They let me see the Book of Shadows. I've always read about it, but I'd never gotten to actually see it."

"It's neat huh?"

"More than! It's got spells and a demon index and all this other really cool stuff! I need to spend more time down here with them."

"Well, if Angel and I actually get to have a vacation, then maybe you could stay too."

"I'd love that. I wish Tara could be here." Willow looked at Angel, then back at Buffy. "We miss you."

"I know."

"I'm not trying to push you into moving back to Sunnydale, but we all miss you terribly."

"I'm only two hours away. It's not hard to hop in a car and come see me."

"Same goes for you."

"I know." On the bed, Angel groaned slightly. "Angel?" She moved over to him.

"His toes move." Willow said, pointing.

"He's coming out of it. He's going to be ok. Next time I see Cole, he's getting a big hug and lots of flowers."

An hour later, Angel was standing up and stretching. Buffy watched him anxiously. "I'm ok Buffy, really."

"I know, I'm just happy to have you back."

"Kinda glad to be back."

"Kinda?"

"While I was out of it, the pain was so great that I couldn't feel the anger, but now…."

"It's coming back, isn't it?"

"Yeah."

"We can do the spell again."

"It won't work. It barely worked last time."

"Angel…."

"Buffy, I keep telling you." He hugged her tightly to him. "I've had a demon in me for 200 plus years. Over a hundred of those years I had practice in keeping it in check. I can keep the anger in check too."

"Just…. Don't…. do anything crazy, ok?"

"I won't."

Suddenly the door burst open and Phoebe ran in. "Buffy…. Hi Angel, welcome back…. We've got a visitor."

"Who?" Buffy asked, following Phoebe out.

"That guy that with the bowling ball bag and the bad mojo thing inside it."

Buffy and the others made it to the bottom stair and looked at the man standing in the foyer. He was medium sized, kinda podgy, he had glasses on and shaggy brown hair. "You've been causing a lot of trouble." The Slayer said. "And I'm assuming that you know what you've got in that bag…."

"Buffy, he's frozen." Piper said.

"I knew that." She smiled.

The freeze wore off and the guy looked around frantically. "Where did you come from?"

"My mom. Where'd you come from? Neptune?"

"N-no."

"Ok, so I'm guessing that you know what you have in that bag."

"I don't know exactly what it is, but I need protection. You guys seemed pretty strong earlier."

"How'd you find us?"

"I recognized Phoebe from her billboards. I looked her up and found this address." The man sighed. "My name is David Coby. I work for an auction house. I've got someone who's willing to buy this thing and I need you to accompany me to the zoo tomorrow night. The meeting's at midnight."

"The zoo?" Piper asked.

"Wait." Buffy said. "Why should we help you sell it? It's causing a lot of trouble. If anything, we should destroy it."

"Why?" David asked.

"Because it's dangerous." Paige said.

Buffy glanced at Angel who was slowly backing away from the man and his bag. "What's in the bag?"

"I don't know exactly what it is, but I know it's priceless." David said nervously. "Will you help me or not?"

"I don't know. I have more questions. Why are those demons with the trunks after you?"

"The stone belongs to them, I think. I don't know. I just found it in the sewers and thought I could get something out of it."

"Other than mass hysteria in the demon world?"

"I didn't know that it was happening. I didn't understand why all these demons were trying to attack me."

"Why not just give the stone back to the demons?"

The man clutched the bad tighter to him. "Because it's mine."

"But you just said it was the demons' stone." Leo said.

"I said I didn't know."

"Have you tried talking to one of the demons?" Piper asked.

"I don't think they speak English."

"So, you've tried talking to them?" Paige asked.

"No, they keep yelling at me and then attacking when I try to tell them I don't understand."

"All right." Buffy said suddenly, a plan already evolved in her head. "We'll protect you. On one condition." David looked at her expectantly. "You leave that stone here so we can figure out what it is and why these demons are after it. Tomorrow night, you can come right back here and we'll all go to the zoo together."

"I-I-I can't…. I don't…."

"Take it or leave it. It's the only way you're getting our help."

David sighed. "Fine." He handed the bag to Buffy. "I'll be back here tomorrow night at 10:30."

"Got a card so we can reach you if anything develops?" Phoebe asked. David handed Buffy a card with his cell phone number on it and then he left.

Buffy looked at the others. "Set up?"

"Probably." Piper said.

"I don't want to go in unprepared. Can we start looking for anything to help me out on that one?"

"I'll hit the book." Paige said.


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6

Buffy sat in the living room holding Angel's hand. It was 8:00 now. David had called back and informed them that only Buffy and Angel were to go. If anyone else went or they brought any weapons, he would take the weird stone and reschedule the buy. So, Buffy and Angel were left to their strength. Angel was having a hard time being around the stone, so Willow, Phoebe, Paige, and Piper had locked it up in the basement and put a binding spell on it. It didn't do a lot of good since the thing was stronger now because it was nighttime.  
Phoebe walked in. "Buffy, we need you to come into the conservatory."

"What'd I do?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing. Willow thought of something completely brilliant."  
Buffy looked at Angel and he got up and followed them. Piper, Paige, and Willow stood around a bowl with purple smoke drifting out of it. "What's going on?"

"I figured since you can't take anybody with you, then you can take the Charmed One's powers with you." Willow said.

"How am I gonna do that?"

"Well, this spell will take part of Paige, Phoebe, and Piper's powers and put each into this." Willow held up a necklace with a charm on it that looked like the one on the Book of Shadows. "It's called a triquetra."

"I know that, Will."

"Shush. It symbolizes life, death, and rebirth and the three forces of nature: earth, air, and water. It also symbolizes the Charmed Ones. So, in each circle a part of their power is going to rest. Paige is giving you the power to orb, Piper is giving you her freezing and blowing up power, and Phoebe is giving you her power to levitate."

"This is great."

"We're giving it to you now because you'll need to practice." Piper said. "It took me a while to get it, but we don't have a while. We have exactly two and a half hours."

"So, let's get this going."

Willow nodded and put the necklace in the smoking bowl. Phoebe, Piper, and Paige each took a side of the table and Willow nodded. When she looked up, her eyes were black. "Goddess Hecate, take a piece of these three Charmed and transfer it to this symbol of protection."

"The power to freeze and the power to burn." Piper touched the bowl and her hand lit up.

"The power to levitate." Phoebe touched the bowl and her hand lit up too.

"The power to orb." Paige touched the bowl and her hand lit up as well.

"Hear our plea, let the spell be complete." All four witches said three times. The bowl itself started to glow and then the light from Paige, Phoebe, and Piper's hands was sucked into the smoke. The smoke sparkled and then dissipated.

Willow's eyes returned to normal and she smiled. "Let's see if it worked." She took the necklace out and handed it to Buffy.

The Slayer put it on and the charm flared a white light as Buffy felt a slight surge go through her. "Wow."

"You feel the power?"

Buffy nodded.

"Well, try something so we can see if it worked." Paige said. "Orb."

"Um…. I don't know how." Buffy said.

"It's easy. Here…." Paige picked up a stress ball out of one of the chairs and held it up. "See it in your hand and call to it."

"Ok." Buffy imagined the ball sitting in her hand and she said, "Stress ball." The thing orbed out of Paige's hand and orbed in on Buffy's. "Cool!"

"Ok, my turn." Phoebe said. "Imagine yourself floating off the ground and then jump."

Buffy closed her eyes and jumped. When she opened them, everyone was below her. "Would very much like to come down now." Then she was down.

"This is the hard one." Piper said. "Leo!"

Leo orbed in next to Piper. "I'm here."

"Go stand over there."

"Why?"

"Just do it." Leo sighed and walked over to the other side of the observatory. "Ok, point and shoot. Like a crossbow."  
Buffy nodded. "Wait…. Do you want me to freeze him or blow him up?"

"Freeze first, then blow up."

"Ok…." Buffy flicked her hands like Piper did and everything but Buffy, Willow, and the Charmed Ones froze.

"Well, you almost got it."

"How do I unfreeze it?"

"Point and shoot, only want to unfreeze it."

"I want to unfreeze it." Buffy flicked her hands again and the whole room unfroze. She tried a couple more times and finally, only Leo was frozen.

"Now…. Blow him up."

Buffy flicked her hands at Leo and the window next to him exploded. "Oh! Sorry! I'll pay for that."

"It's ok. Try again."  
Buffy flicked her hands at Leo again and he exploded. "Yes!"

Leo orbed back in. "Ow! What was that for?" He asked Piper.

"I didn't do it." Piper said. "Buffy did."

"Buffy?"

The Slayer lifted the necklace to show the slightly glowing triquetra. "I have a little bit of the Charmed Ones' powers. David said Angel and I are the only ones who can go, so Willow thought to give me protection with this."

"That's great."

"So…. Can I practice on you some more?"

Leo sighed and looked at the window. "Maybe somewhere where we can't destroy the house. Come on, I'll take you somewhere open where the only thing you can explode other than me are rocks and trees."

"Works for me." Buffy took Leo's hand and they orbed out.

**************

"Are you ready?" Piper asked Buffy.

"As I'll ever be." Buffy said. She was dressed in black jeans and a black, long sleeved t-shirt with a hood on it. The triquetra necklace hung on her neck underneath the shirt. She had borrowed a pair of Paige's combat boots she had bought from some gothic type store. They looked like they would hurt in a fight. If she needed a stake, she'd just break off a tree limb. "I just wish David would hurry up and get here."

"It's almost 10:30."

"Good."  
Leo orbed in. "The Elders said that the rock in that bag is a deathstone of a warrior Tunigas demon."

"What's that?"

"It's a pocket dimension demon." Angel said. "That's why the thing was sucked up into that portal."

"When Tunigas demons die, their bodies sort of…. Melt and all that's left is that stone. It's imprinted with the demon's feelings at the time of their death. This particular stone was a warrior's stone, so that's why all the demons in San Francisco are feeling agitated like they are."

"Cause if you die while you're fighting, it's not fun and you're not in the best mood." Buffy said. They all looked at her. "Speaking from experience here."

"Right." Paige said. "So, now what? We all just sit around while Buffy and Angel go out and fight the bad guys?"

"That's generally what we usually do." Willow said. "They're the superheroes. We're just the cool side kicks with cool powers."

"Ah."

"It's 10:30. Where is he?" Angel growled. His fists clenched and unclenched continuously. Buffy could tell the stone was affecting him no matter what spell they'd put on it. "He'll be here." She said, walking over and wrapping her arms around his waist and laying her head on his broad chest. As usual, her touch brought him a sense of calm.  
As if on cue, the doorbell rang. Phoebe went and opened it. There stood David in all his annoying sleaze-ball glory. "Finally."  
Buffy put her hand on his back and kissed his arm as David said, "You're not strapped, are you?"

"What is this, a Hollywood noir film?"  
Buffy looked at David. "We're not armed."

"Where's the stone?" David asked.

"It's right here." Piper said, holding up the bowling ball bag.

"Good. Give it to me."

"Try no." Piper handed it to Buffy and whispered, "Call Leo if anything goes wrong."

Buffy nodded and turned to look at David. "Are you just gonna stand there, or can we go?"

"I've got a limo waiting outside." David said.

"A limo?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Are you hard of hearing or something?"  
Angel took a threatening step forward, but Buffy grabbed his arm. "Down boy." She looked at the annoying little man. "David, let's keep it to a minimum of NO talking from you, huh?" David glared and then turned and walked back out. Buffy looked up at Angel. "Think happy thoughts. Maybe you'll fly."

"No, you fly. I'll rip his throat out." Angel growled.

Buffy nodded. She could see in his eyes that he didn't mean to be so cruel. The stone was affecting him and she considered herself lucky he wasn't trying to rip HER throat out. Taking his hand, wincing slightly under the grip he held, they followed David outside. As they walked out, Paige and Willow each murmured a protection spell for them.

*************  
At the zoo, Angel knew there were other demons around. He could smell them. As for him, Buffy, and David, they had to sneak over the outside wall and avoid the guards. That meant that whoever was buying the stone had to either sneak over the wall too or magic their way in.

Buffy held the bag tightly in her hands and her senses were on full alert. The slightest noise made her jerk her head to see what it was. The place smelled like animals, so it was hard to track anything. Angel could barely smell Buffy over the animals and she was right next to him.

"Something doesn't feel right." Buffy muttered under her breath so only Angel could hear her.

"Demons. They're everywhere." Angel growled. His face had changed and he had pulled Buffy closer to him, glaring at the shadows and daring them to attack. "They knew the stone would be here."

"Double cross?"

"Maybe."  
Suddenly, Buffy froze everything but her and Angel using Piper's power. "Are you gonna be ok?"

"Why'd…"

"I wanted to talk to you without the growls and noises. If you can't do this, go back to the Manor and I'll go on alone."

"I'm not leaving you."

"I'll be ok. I have their powers and…."

"No." Angel almost yelled. Buffy flinched slightly, trying not to let it show that he had startled her. Angel forced his tone to soften. "Buffy, I'm not leaving you to do this alone. I'll make it. It's hard, but I can fight it."

After a moment of wary staring, Buffy shrugged and unfroze everything and they continued following David. They came to an amphitheatre and walked down to the stage area.  
David checked his watch. "Almost time."

"Is this some sort of setup?" Angel asked.

David looked startled when he saw Angel's face, but then he relaxed. "Hey man, I don't know nothing about a set up. All I know is I've got a potential buyer here that's going to pay me big money for this thing."

"This thing is wreaking havoc on the demons. If it gets too bad, who knows what could happen." Buffy said.

"I don't care about that."

"Well we do."

"Are you going to take the stone and run? I'll find you."

Angel took a step forward and David backed off. "I'll rip your throat out…."

"You got the stone?" Cole asked behind Buffy.  
The Slayer spun. "Cole!"

"Buffy? What are you doing here?"

"I'm gonna ask you the same question."

"I'm here to buy that stone."

"And I trusted you."

"That stone is dangerous. I was going to make sure it gets someplace safe."

"How do we know that's true?" Angel asked.

"You don't. You'll just have to take my word."

"You got the cash?" David asked, stepping between Buffy and Angel.

Before Cole could react, Buffy froze David. Cole stared at her in shock. "How…."

"I've got the Charmed Ones' powers temporarily. What the hell is going on?"

"I thought if I took this stone and got rid of it, Phoebe would see me as a hero. I didn't plan to find you guys here." Cole paused. "What are you doing here?"

"Playing bodyguard."

"Is he gonna be ok?"  
Buffy turned to look at Angel who was gripping his head and staggering. "Angel….."

"Powerful…. Spell's not strong enough…. Something's wrong…." Angel collapsed to the ground, griping his head. Buffy knelt down beside him.

"He's too close to the stone." Cole said. "I need to…."  
David unfroze and started to run. He grabbed the bag away from Buffy on his way. "Bag." The bowling ball bag orbed out of David's hands and into Buffy's.

"What…. How…." He sputtered.

"I've got tricks you haven't seen yet." The Slayer blew up a mound of dirt next to David. "Where did you think you were going?"

"Leaving. YOU set ME up."

"Oh, I so did not."

"You know the buyer. You were plotting…."

"I didn't plan Cole!"

"Boys!"

The numerous demons around them attacked. "Fight!" Together, she and Cole protected Angel as he tried to stagger to his feet.

He was going crazy. Angelus kept whispering in his head to take Buffy and change her. Make her his forever. All around him, demons blew up, never coming close to Buffy. She let a couple come, kicking them away and blowing them up. David made his escape, running faster than his stumpy legs had ever carried him. Buffy noticed, but Cole got there first. He put his hand on David's chest and David started to scream. Then, the man exploded from the inside out.  
Everything stopped as they all stared at Cole.

Buffy was in shock that he had killed a human being. Before she could react, a demon slammed into her from another fight and she tossed it off. A large, red demon was picking Angel up and tossing him on the ground. Buffy flung herself at it and kicked it with both feet. Angel fell on top of her. She blew the red demon up, still under Angel, and then gently rolled him over. She kissed his forehead as his world went dark. 

***************  
When Angel woke up again, he was at the Manor laying in Phoebe's bed. Buffy and Phoebe were talking near the door. "No. That demon with the long nose came in and scooped up the stone. But before he could disappear, he AND the stone blew up. I got knocked out for a second, but when I opened my eyes, there were demons lying unconscious everywhere. Some were just picking themselves up and leaving."

"And you're all right?" Phoebe asked.

"A couple of cuts and bruises, but I heal fast."

"Is Angel…."

"I don't know. He passed out because of the stone's emissions."

"I'm all right." Angel groaned, sitting up. "Is that all I missed?"

"Pretty much." Buffy said, sitting next to him and laying her head on his shoulder. He kissed her hair. "I'm ready for about a year of sleep."

"Well, you've still got vacation time left." Phoebe said, sitting in front of Buffy. "We haven't fully caught up."

"I know."

"How about we just stay in tonight, watch movies, and pig out?"

"Sounds good to me."

"Angel?"

"I'm in."Angel said.

"Good. We'll send Leo for pizza."

"Pineapple please!" Buffy said. They all smiled, trying to forget the fact that Cole had taken a human life in front of the Slayer and her vampire.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7

"Buffy, it's Phoebe." Angel said through the bathroom door. He was holding her cell phone that he'd had to dig through the hamper to find in a pair of her jeans near the bottom.

"I'm in the shower. Tell her I'll call her back." Buffy called.

"She says it's an emergency."  
Buffy quickly turned off the shower and jumped out, wrapping a towel around her. She opened the door and grabbed the phone. "What's wrong?"

"It's Piper." Phoebe said. "She's in the hospital."

"Oh my God! What's wrong? What happened?"

"I don't know. She fainted and Leo couldn't heal her. We took her to the hospital and we're waiting on the doctors."

"Ok, can you send Paige here in, like, ten minutes?"

"Sure."

"See you in a little while." Buffy hung up and rushed to the closet.

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"Piper's in the hospital." Picking out some leather pants and a large white, turtleneck sweater, the Slayer rushed back into the bathroom.

"What happened?"

"She fainted and Leo couldn't heal her. God, I hope the baby's ok."

"And Paige is coming here?"

"In, like, eight minutes." Buffy quickly got dressed, ran a brush through her hair, and tossed it up in a clip. She was slipping boots on just as Paige orbed in. "All right, let's go."

"Want me to come?" Angel asked.

"Please?"  
Angel grabbed Paige's arm and they orbed to the hospital in San Francisco. Paige, Leo, and Phoebe all filled Buffy and Angel in on what had happened down to the second. After a while, the doctor finally came out. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige all squeezed onto Piper's hospital bed. Buffy's head was laying on Piper's bulging stomach and she listened to the baby.

"You scared us." Phoebe said.

"Me too. I guess I'm not so invincible after all." Piper said.

"Yeah, maybe we need to start taking better care of you." Paige said.

"No, it was my fault, everybody was telling me to slow down."

"It's not your fault." Leo said. "We're all in uncharted territory. The Elders said that this was a special child and anything can happen. Let's not forget that."

"I feel so bad I wasn't here." Buffy said, patting Piper's stomach.

"Don't be. I don't think there was anything you could have done." Piper said, petting Buffy's hair.

A female doctor walked in carrying a file. "How are you feeling?"

"Eh, tired and weak."

"I've got your test results here but I can't find your chart. When are you due?"

"Uh, six weeks."

"And who is your regular doctor?"

"Uh…. we don't have one."

"We've sorta been seeing alternative medical practitioners." Leo said.

"You don't have an OB/GYN?" The doctor asked.

"We're training to be midwives." Phoebe said, pointing at herself and Paige.

"I'm open to all forms of healing but a woman in her third trimester should've had ultrasounds and blood work done by now. A medical doctor could have caught your condition earlier."

"My condition?" Piper asked.

"Toxaemia. It's a form of high blood pressure in pregnant women. Do you deal with unusual stress in your life?"

"Very unusual." Buffy said.

"Is it serious?" Piper asked, lightly smacking Buffy's shoulder.

"Toxaemia restricts blood flow and food and oxygen to the placenta. It can result in a small baby, premature delivery or it can lead to other complications, none of which you need to worry about now. Most women respond quickly to the treatment." The doctor said.

"Ok, so give me the treatment."

"The treatment involves a no salt diet, no stress, and lots of bed rest. Do that and the symptoms should reverse. I'll be back later to check on you." With that, she left.

"That's probably why I couldn't heal you." Leo said. "High blood pressure isn't just physical, it's a state of mind."

"No stress and bed rest. Do you think you can handle that?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, I can handle that. I'll do anything." Piper said.

"So will we." Phoebe said.

"Yay! I get to have an unplanned vacation!" Buffy said.

"I better call Doyle and Cordelia and let them know." Angel said.

"I'll take Buffy to get some clothes for you guys. Make sure Piper doesn't try anything rash, will you Angel?" Leo asked. Angel nodded.

"I'm going with Buffy." Phoebe said.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Cause I haven't seen Buffy in a few months."

"We haven't either."

"Well, you weren't twins in a past life, now were you?"

"Be back soon." Piper said.  
Buffy kissed Piper's head. "Promise."

Leo orbed them out and Paige looked at Piper. "What's that got to do with it!" 

Angel stood in the darkened kitchen cooking French toast and eggs when Piper, Leo, and Buffy got back from the hospital. "Hello?" Piper called.

Piper and Paige raced down the stairs. "Welcome home, honey." Phoebe said. "Or should I say your highness? Because from now on we are your loyal subjects. Even Angel pitched in. He's in the kitchen cooking you brunch."

"We even turned your bedroom into a royal throne room." Paige said.

"Let me take you there now, my queen." Leo said.

"All right, knock it off before I get Buffy to cut your heads off." Piper said. "I don't want any special treatment."

"Piper, we love you, let us love you." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, I mean, as your sisters, cousin, and your midwives, we feel it's our duty to provide you with solitude and serenity and…." Paige said. A goose squawked and three golden geese walked into the living room.

"A gaggle of geese." Buffy said.

"I thought you guys were gonna get rid of those." Leo said.

"You said you were gonna ask the Elders on magical gift return policies." Phoebe said.

"Ok, you guys, it's fine, everything's fine." Piper said. "It's not gonna bother me, I'm not gonna let anything bother me for the sake of my daughter."

"Come on, I'll take you upstairs." Buffy said. "Will one of you go and check on Angel? Make sure he doesn't burn down the Manor…. Or himself." She, Leo, and Piper headed upstairs.

"I thought you said you tied them up." Angel heard Phoebe say.

"I did, but the little flockers got loose." Paige said.

"Ok, we have to do better than this for Piper. I mean, if we can't keep geese away from her, how are we supposed to protect her from demons?"

"Ok, you're right, you're right, we should take turns guarding the Manor. You know, who knows what kind of weirdo stuff's gonna show up…."  
Angel turned around and let out a yelp. "Phoebe! Paige!"  
They walked into the kitchen to find a white unicorn standing there. "Oh my goodness, it's a unicorn." Paige said.

"Yes, it is. In our kitchen. Is that another baby present you think, maybe?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, the best one ever." Angel said, scowling at the thing as it ate the food he had cooked. "Paige, unicorns may be magical and cool, but I'm not so sure it's appropriate for a baby."

"Oh, come on now. Our little niece will grow into it." Paige said.

"I'm not so sure about that." Phoebe said. "Have you seen those hooves? And how are we gonna baby proof that horn?"

Angel noticed a card on the unicorn. "Hey, look, there's a card. 'From El.'" Part of the card was torn. "El? Do you know anybody in Spain?"

"I don't care who it's from, ok? It just can't be here now. Its way too much stress for Piper and the baby. So Paige, just orb it out of here."

"I can't. Unicorns are mythical beasts from another world." Paige said. "Where do you propose I orb it to?"

"I don't care where you orb it to, just get it out of here, ok?"

"Fine, I'll orb it somewhere safe and tie it up until we figure it out." She touched the unicorn and tried to orb out. She glowed in white orbs for a second and then the orbs vanished, leaving Paige still in the kitchen.

"What was that?" Angel asked.

"I can't orb it."

"Ok, stand back." Phoebe said. "Uh, take this beast, before I end her, ship her back, return to sender." Nothing happened. "Wait, why aren't my powers working?"

"Uh, apple." Again, nothing happened. "Nothing."

"Oh, no." Phoebe tried to levitate but couldn't. "I can't levitate, I'm grounded."

Leo and Buffy ran in. "Something's wrong, something's wrong, I can't orb." Leo said.

"And I don't have any Slayer powers!" Buffy said.

"I was trying to go to the Elders to find out how to get rid of the golden geese and why is there a unicorn in the kitchen?" Leo asked.

"Forget the unicorn, our magic's down too!" Phoebe said. She looked at Buffy. "How do you know you don't have any Slayer powers?"

"Leo dropped something under a dresser and I couldn't lift the dresser." Buffy said.

"How do you lose super strength?"

"Buffy's Slayer powers are rooted in ancient magicks." Angel said.

"This doesn't make any sense." Buffy said.

"Ok, well, whatever hit us, we have to assume also hit Piper." Buffy said. "She can't find out about this until we know what's going on because she…."

"Hello? Where is everybody?" Piper called from upstairs.

"Why is she out of bed?" Leo asked.

"I don't know." Buffy said.

"Go put her back." Paige said.

"Go, go!" Phoebe said. Leo and Buffy rushed out of the kitchen. "All right, Angel and Paige, uh, you two take the magical farm animals and put them down in the basement. I'm gonna get the book and I'll meet you guys down there." Phoebe rushed out.

"All right, you're Spanish. Andale!" Paige said to the unicorn. It didn't move.

"Why are you on your feet?" Leo demanded.

"I was coming down to get some food. A person could starve around here." Piper said.

Phoebe ran around the corner and headed up the stairs. "Hi. Bye!"

"All right, come on upstairs, Buffy and I'll get your food. You're supposed to be on bed rest." Leo said.

"Ok, well, bed rest doesn't actually mean…."

"Yes, it does." Buffy said. "The doctor said stay off your feet and relax."

Piper and Leo went upstairs with Buffy behind them. She saw the unicorn walk down the hallway and Angel and Paige running after it saying, "Here, unicorn!" Buffy shook her head and followed them upstairs. "Piper, you just need to lay back and relax a while."

"Relax." Piper said. "Everybody keeps telling me to relax, like it's something you do. Like, like switching off a light."

"You need to learn how to do it, Piper, if you're gonna get your blood pressure under control."

"My blood pressure would not be a problem if we had been seeing a doctor like we were supposed to."

"I knew that was coming." Leo said.  
Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Come on, sit down."

Leo helped Piper to the bed but she pushed him away. "Don't treat me like a baby factory, I can sit myself down." She sat on the bed. "All these fears about a magical baby and don't let the doctors find out and we'll buy a birthing ball and Paige and Phoebe will be midwives. And you know what? We were wrong."

"How can you say that?"

"Because somehow in the middle of all this we forgot the most important thing of all. What's best for the baby."

"Well, that's not fair. A lot of people decide to have babies at home." Leo said.

"Uh huh, maybe so, but I was not one of them. And this baby is not even out of the womb yet and I'm already screwing up as a mother."

"You're haven't screwed up."

"Yes, I did, Leo, I did. I have a disease that is threatening our baby and I could've avoided it if I had just trusted my instincts."

Buffy looked at Leo and then back at Piper. "Well, what are your instincts telling you now?"

"To have this baby in a hospital."

"Ok, I'll make arrangements today." Leo said.

"Oh, really. And what happens when she's delivered in swaddling orbs?"

"We'll deal with it then." Buffy said. "From now on we want you to feel safe and secure, ok?" She leaned over and kissed Piper's forehead and leaned back knocking over a side table and all the stuff on it. Piper went to freeze it, but Leo and Buffy both stopped her. "No magic! No magic! No magic!"

"It's just too much stress on your body." Leo said.

"Like that mess on the floor's not gonna stress me out?" Piper said.

"I'll clean it up." Buffy said. "It was my bad."

The phone rang and Piper answered it. "Hello? Uh, sure." She looked up at Leo. "It's one of your charges. Since when do they use the telephone?"

"Since I've been ignoring them to spend more time with my lovely wife." He took the phone. "Excuse me. Hello?"  
Buffy saw Phoebe sneaking around the corner. "I'll go check on the food." She rushed out and grabbed Phoebe's arm. "Wait up."  
They ran down to the basement where Angel and Paige were waiting. "Ok, look at this, check this out." Phoebe flipped open the book. The pages were blank. "The whole book has been erased."

"How's that possible?"

"I don't know and without the book, I don't even know how to find out. It's like someone's taken the magick and erased it from our entire family."

"I think it's bigger than that." Angel said.

Phoebe looked down and saw a squished golden egg. "Oh, is that from one of our golden geese?"

"Yeah, I don't think we're gonna be able to return them now." Paige said.

"What is going on?" Buffy asked.

"You know, this all started when El mystery mare arrived. Maybe she's a Trojan unicorn sent to suck away our magick."

"No, I doubt it." Angel said. "Unicorns are the essence of good magic. If anything, they should enhance your powers, not steal them."

"What about the sky last night?" Phoebe asked.

"What, the northern lights on the eve of a Sabbath? Yeah, it could be a mystical sign but don't those normally come in threes? Where's the third?"

"Have you been experiencing uncontrollable emotional mood swings in the last week?"

"Am I that transparent?"

"No, but read your horoscope. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn are all in Gemini. That only happens once every three hundred years."

"Holy Hannah. It's like the universe is practically screaming at us to get our attention."

"Yeah, but what is it trying to say?"

"I don't know. But I've got a lot of research books in the attic. I'm gonna go up there and check it out."

"Ok, I'll meet you up there. I'm gonna try to figure out a way to wrangle the geese."

"Good luck."

"I'm gonna call Willow and let her know what's going on. We may need her too." Buffy said. "She knows all the old remedies like what Eva taught you guys."  
Not two seconds after she'd picked up the phone, she heard the sounds of a fight. Paige and a demon were fighting near the stairs. The demon knocked Paige to the floor. Buffy came in and went to jab him with a right hook, but he grabbed her wrist and twisted, then tossed her roughly to the floor. He grabbed a marble tabletop from nearby and held it above his head to smash Buffy. Angel ran in holding a knife. "Hey!" He threw the knife at the demon and hit him in his chest.

"My name will haunt you to your grave." The demon said, just before he died.

Angel helped first Buffy, then Paige up. "What was his name again?" Phoebe asked, standing next to Angel.

"I don't remember." Paige said. Green slime poured out of the demon's chest.  
Leo came down the stairs. "What's with the leftovers?"

"Well, his magic ran out just like ours." Paige said.

"Ok, so we have no powers, demons have no powers, Slayers have no powers, what is going on here?" Phoebe asked, looking at Buffy's wrist.

"I don't know. I just got a call from a charge and her powers are down too. So I unplugged the phone just in case we get any more calls. I don't want Piper to panic."

"Oh, well, it's official. Magic's down everywhere."

"Are you ok?" Phoebe asked. Buffy's wrist was red and starting to swell.

"I think he sprained it." Buffy said, pulling it to her chest.  
The unicorn neighed and walked into the dining room. "I thought you guys tied her up!"

"We did, she eats through everything." Paige said.

The doorbell rang. "Oh, god, what time is it? That's probably dad."

"I'll get the unicorn." Leo said.

"I got the body." Angel said. He hauled the demon's corpse up and took it over to where Paige held the door open.

"Hello? Anybody home?" Victor called from outside.

Leo took the unicorn into the kitchen. Buffy and Angel tucked the demon's legs into the closet, closed the door, and headed to the kitchen to help Leo while Phoebe and Paige headed to the door. "Somebody get that?" Piper called.  
Phoebe opened the door to discover Victor and a woman standing there. "Phoebe, Paige, I'd like you to meet Doris."

"Doris?" Phoebe asked.

"My new wife and your new stepmother."

"Hi!" Doris said.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8

"How are you…. Married?" Phoebe asked.

"We didn't even know you were dating." Paige said.

"Or that you date at all for that matter, dad."

"Well, it happened pretty fast."

"Yes, we met on the singles cruise." Doris said.

"Oh, that trip to Mexico. That was a singles cruise?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, I'm a man of many mysteries." Victor said.

"Really?"

"Where's Piper? I wanna share the good news." He headed for the stairs but Paige stopped him.

"Oh, god, no, that's ok. She's upstairs resting. We found out last night that she has a blood pressure condition."

"She's ok?"

"Oh, yeah, she's fine. Don't worry. At least don't let her see you worry, anyway." Phoebe said.

"Poor thing." Doris said. "Young women today are under so many pressures. Is she eating enough garlic? Because it dilates the blood vessels, you know."

"Oh, well, we'll have to fix some of that up."

"Oh, let me take that for you." Paige took Doris' coat, went over to the closet, opened it, and quickly threw the coat and purse on top of the dead demon. She quickly closed the door and turned around. "We're all outta hangers."  
Piper came down the stairs. "Hey dad!"

"Hey, Piper!" Victor went over and gave her a hug. "Oh, I heard the news. You shouldn't be on your feet."

"Dad's got some news of his own." Phoebe said. "Gently though, dad, we don't want her to drop that calf right there on the stairs."

"Piper, I want you to meet Doris, my new bride."

Piper's eyes widened and Phoebe nodded. "Yeah!"

"Hello, Piper." Doris said, hugging Piper tightly.

"Hi, hi, uh, Doris. W-w-welcome to the family, I guess." Piper said.

"I know it's kinda sudden but sometimes when life drops a peach at your feet, you've gotta stop and make some cobbler." Victor said.  
The closet door opened and the dead demon's leg fell out. Just as that happened, Victor leaned in and kissed Doris, so they didn't even notice. Paige quickly pushed the demon's leg back in the closet and slammed the door. "That is always my motto, isn't that funny?"

"Uh, uh, apparently they met on a singles cruise. Did you know dad goes on singles cruises?" Phoebe said.

"Oh, it was like in the movies." Doris said. "Our eyes met across the buffet bar, your dad's so handsome and, well, I told him, don't eat the rolls, you know, too much processed flour. Anyway, we stayed up all night long talking, and by the morning we just knew."

"Mmm, she devastates me." Victor said.

Leo, Buffy, and Angel walked in. "Ok, we put away the uni….." Leo saw everyone. "Cycle."

"What unicycle?" Piper asked.

"It's a baby gift. Hey, Victor."

"Leo." Victor said. He saw Buffy standing there. "Buffy!"

"Hey Uncle Victor!" Buffy hugged her uncle, trying not to let the wince show as she put pressure on her wrist that Angel had wrapped up.

"Oh, you look so wonderful. And who's this?"

"This is my boyfriend Angel. You remember I told you about him."

"Yeah, of course. Hello Angel."

"Hi." Angel said, shaking hands with Victor.

"And who's your friend?" Buffy asked, eyeing Doris.

"Hello, I'm Doris." She hugged Buffy tightly and then grabbed Angel to her. "I'm Leo's new mother-in-law and Buffy's new aunt."

"Oh, hi." Buffy looked at Phoebe. "I guess we missed a lot, didn't we?"

Phoebe laughed. "Yeah! Ok, now that we've all met, maybe the two lucky newlyweds should check into the hotel because it's really crazy here and then we'll call you…."

"Oh-oh, no. We're not going anywhere." Doris said.

"You're not?" Piper asked.

"No, I used to volunteer at the hospital. We can stay and help take care of you."

"You can?"

"I look forward to some real mother-daughter bonding."

"You do, huh?"

The doorbell rang. "Well, you know, now that we've figured out you're staying here, let's get Piper off her feet, shall we?" Paige said.

Piper walked over to Phoebe and Paige. "You can't leave me alone with her."

"Yeah, yeah, we have to. Because what if it's another magical baby gift?" Phoebe said.

"I'll stay with you." Buffy said. "Come on, upstairs."

Buffy, Piper, Leo, Victor, and Doris went upstairs. The doorbell rang again. Angel, Phoebe, and Paige went and opened the door. An older man was standing there. "Can I help you?" Paige asked.

"To save magic? I hope so." The man said.

"Who are you?" Angel asked.

"I am Cronyn."

"You're a sorcerer."

"I am. But I'm calling a temporary truce for the sake of magick everywhere."

Phoebe looked at Angel warily. He shrugged and she looked back at Cronyn. "Fine. We have things to do. Come back later tonight. At dusk."

************************  
Phoebe, Piper, and Angel all headed out to the backyard. They'd decided not to tell Buffy or Leo since they were up with Piper and pulling them away might cause Piper stress. "Ok, sorcerers don't just drop by our house. What makes you think we're not going to vanquish you?" Phoebe asked Cronyn.

"Because you can't." He replied. "Didn't you get my message? My apprentice was supposed to drop by this morning."

"Oh, that guy? He's dead in our closet. But he didn't give us a message."

"Because he was the message. To demonstrate the dire nature of our situation."

"So you're saying demons don't have power either."

"Down to the last imp. There's fear and panic everywhere. Demons stuck in the underworld with no way up. Others stuck topside with no way down."

"Oh, poor little evil creatures." Angel said, sarcasm dripping from the sentence.

"Angelus, you'd do well to remember you're still a demon."

"I'm not a demon. There's just a demon inside me."

"Very well. I see your flowers haven't died yet, and they will. With no gnomes or garden nymphs to spin their delicate magic."

"Don't go getting all enchanted on us." Paige said.

"Oh, don't worry, I hate good magick, fairy tales, wishes on stars, and children who believe in Santa Claus. Mortals don't know it exists, but magick infuses all their hopes and dreams."

"Stand back, I think he's gonna break out in song."

"Oh, hardly. Nothing would give me more pleasure than to watch it all ripped from the world."

"So why not just sit back and watch the show? Why come to us?" Phoebe asked.

"Because I want my power back. Magick must be saved and it's up to us."

"Us? We're us, you're them. We don't help thems. Sorry."

"You can't fix this by yourselves. That's why you invited me here to your backyard. But together, together we can interpret the signs."

"You were right about the signs." Phoebe said to Paige. "Ok, so what do you propose that we do?"

"A summit between good and evil to discuss the crisis. Of course, there'd be certain rules. No guns, no knives, etc, you know."

"The exit's that way, so if you want to just…." Angel said.

"We don't have much time. The longer magick is down, the harder it is to restore." He pulled out a business card which read _Cronyn, Sorcerer Evil Magic For All Occasions_ and handed it to Phoebe. "My cell phone's on the back in case your sister changes her mind."

"Cronyn, huh? Since when do sorcerers have cell phones?" Angel asked.

"You think that's bad? I've got a taxi waiting out front. Call me."

As soon as he was gone, the three walked into the conservatory. "I don't trust him." Paige said.

"Yeah, but I kinda liked his whole world without magick speech. It was very Capra." Phoebe said.

"Pure crappa. I don't wanna help evil."

Buffy and Leo walked in. "What evil?" They asked.

"A sorcerer wants to arrange peace talks for the whole magick crisis." Angel said.

"Oh, yeah, and Phoebe and Angel are actually considering it." Paige said.

"Well, of course we're considering it, the future of magick is at stake here, not to mention the future of my niece." Phoebe said. "And what else do we have right now? There's no powers, no book, no Elders."

"Phoebe's right." Leo said. "Without magick, Piper and the baby are vulnerable, we can't protect them."

"Ok, fine, but if there's a meeting we're going in heavy, in case it's a trap." Paige said.

"Ok, but Cronyn said no weapons." Phoebe said.

"And you trust him? Leo, I'm gonna need some saltpeter and some cayenne pepper from the kitchen."

"For what?" Leo asked.

"A homemade arsenal. Phoebe, would you kindly get an aerosol can. Ladies and gentleman, it's time to lock and load."

"I'm going with you guys." Buffy said.

"No. You're vulnerable too." Angel said.

"I'm still the Slayer. You can cover my back."

"What about your wrist?"

"It'll be fine. It's been wrapped up by a really good doctor." Buffy smiled and nudged Leo with her shoulder.

********************  
Paige, Buffy, Angel, and Leo were in the attic when Phoebe came up. Leo and Angel were standing at the table working on a homemade candle. Paige put down the phone and looked at everyone. "That was Cronyn. He says, uh, he'll meet us in an hour. He suggested one of his, you know, dark chambers, I suggested Manny's Pizzeria."

"Nice, public venue, way to go. What is that?" Buffy asked.

"This would be a pipe bomb, dear."

"Oh, what…."

"I was good at chem lab in high school."

"No wonder I didn't know."

"How's the candle going?"

"Fine, it just needs a few minutes to set." Leo said.

"Are you sure it's gonna give us smoke?" Angel asked.

"Total whiteout, as long as you put six parts of saltpeter in there." Paige said.

"Ok, we have one flammable spray can, one lotion bottle bomb, a smoking candle, two sharpened nail files, four cayenne pepper spray straws, and assorted rings and bracelets?" Leo asked.

Buffy showed her hands to reveal her fingers were covered in rings. Paige smiled. "Well, it kinda makes you appreciate your powers, doesn't it?"

"We don't need no stinkin' powers to kick some demon ass." Phoebe said, patting Buffy's back.

"Well, maybe you don't. You're a little bit better with your mono-e-mono stuff. Speaking of, I have some extra gifts for you, my dear."

"Ok."  
Paige opened a chest. "These were mine and now they're yours." She pulled out a chain mail top. "Chain mail top from my club days. Steel toed boots from my mosh pit days. Handcuffs, from last Friday."

"Hey, do you think we're making a huge mistake by not telling Piper about this?" Buffy asked.

"No, absolutely not, I think she needs to relax." Paige said.

"I agree. Piper's not just carrying the next generation of Halliwell, she's carrying the next generation of magick." Leo said.

"Then let's go save them." Phoebe said.

*****************  
Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige walked into the crowded shop. They looked around and spotted Cronyn sitting at a table with two other men. They walked over to them. "You brought a friend." Cronyn said.

"This is our cousin Buffy. She's the Vampire Slayer." Phoebe said.  
The other demons gasped, but Cronyn held up a hand. "Her powers are rooted in the oldest of magicks. She poses no threat here."

"You sure about that?" Buffy retorted.

"This is Merrill, our highest ranking wizard and personal mentor. Kane, top advisor to the warlocks."

"Check their bags for weapons." Kane said.

"Like we'd attack in front of civilians. That's why we chose a public place." Paige said.

"You can't be too safe, you know." Cronyn said. Phoebe and Paige handed them their handbags. They looked inside. "What's with the candle?"

"We thought we'd try a wiccan ritual or two to try to bring back magic." Phoebe said.

"Let's get down to business." The demons handed back the handbags.

"Wait a minute. How do we know you guys aren't packing weapons?" Buffy asked.

"You mean like this?" Kane stood up and pulled out a big knife.

"Hey now!" Paige said.  
The room fell silent and Buffy stared at the other customers in the bar. "Did it just get very quiet in here?"

"You don't think we'd pass up the opportunity to take out the Charmed Ones, now do you?" Everyone in the room stood up, all holding weapons. They surrounded Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige. "Of course, it is a bonus that we have the infamous Slayer and Angelus."

The demons attacked. Buffy and Phoebe crashed through a window and landed behind a table. Paige went flying through the room, landing on the table and falling to the floor. Angel managed to get in a few punches before they overpowered him and threw him to the other side of the room. Phoebe and Buffy got up.

"How did you do it? This place must've been crawling with customers." Phoebe said.

"We paid them to leave. Of course, the owner wanted to stay but he's browning in the pizza oven." Cronyn said.

"What about magick? Who's gonna fix it?" Paige asked.

"I got that covered. Which is more than I can say for you four."

"If you don't think we came prepared for this moment, you are sadly mistaken." Phoebe pulled out the hairspray can and held it up. The demons moved closer. Phoebe sprayed the can and held a lighter under it. The demons ducked as the ball of fire headed for them. Paige lit the lotion bottle bomb and threw it at the demons. Angel dove over to the girls and they all ducked for cover. One demon caught it and it blew up the whole room. The demons groaned in pain.

"We've gotta fight our way out of this or die trying. You ready?" Buffy asked.

Phoebe lit the smoke candle and threw it in the room. Thick smoke filled the room. Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige ran into the room, Buffy holding a baseball bat, and started attacking the demons. Cronyn left the Pizzeria unnoticed. They beat back the demons as best they could and Angel cornered Merrill.

"Where's Cronyn?" Angel asked.

"He had business to attend to."

"Yeah, I'll bet." Buffy said. Phoebe pulled handcuffs out of her handbag, tossed them to Buffy, and the Slayer cuffed Merrill to a chair. Buffy pulled the dagger hidden in her boot and held it to Merrill's throat. "Did Cronyn bring down magic?"

"He doesn't have the power."

"No, but you do." Angel said.

"Of course, you're his mentor." Paige said, coming over with Phoebe.

"What happened to magic?" Phoebe asked. No answer.

"Answer the lady's question." Angel said.

"Centuries ago, I unearthed a quatrain from the tomb of a wise apothecary. 'When three planets burn as one over a sky of dancing light, and magic will rest for a holy day to welcome a twice blessed child.'" Merrill said.

"Those are the signs that we saw." Paige said. "The Aurora Borealis, the planetary alignment, the wiccan Sabbath."

"Wait, back to the twice blessed child business. What is that?" Buffy asked.

"Cronyn is not after us…." Paige said.

"He's after Piper's baby." Angel said.

"Oh my god." Buffy said, leaving Merrill cuffed to the chair and running out as fast as her normal legs could carry her.

"Buffy!" Phoebe yelled.

"I'll meet you at the Manor." She called back, banging through the door. Angel threw Phoebe his cell phone and ran out after Buffy.

Phoebe dialed the manor. "That's why he led us here to our slaughter so the Power of Three couldn't find him. When do we get our powers back?"

"When it's too late to use them." Merrill answered.

"The house line's dead."

"Magic won't return to the world until the baby is born, which should be any minute."


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9

Buffy burst through the Manor door just as Piper let out a scream. Phoebe and Paige had caught up to her and Angel and picked them up. Now all four of them rushed into the house. Buffy started to head towards the stairs, but Paige stopped her. "No, no, he's not gonna hurt her while she's in labor."

"Ok, well, what if Leo's hurt, or Uncle Victor?" Buffy asked.

"There's only one way to save them." Angel said. They headed for the basement and Paige grabbed a knife on her way past.

"You guys go. I can't leave Piper alone with them." Buffy said, running out before any of them could stop her. She found Victor laying on the floor, bleeding from a stab wound. "Oh God, Uncle Victor!"

"Save Piper." Victor said through gritted teeth.  
The door to Piper's room opened and Buffy stood and pressed herself against the wall, letting Cronyn walk past. With a glance at Victor, she snuck past and into Piper's room. Doris was sitting on the edge of the bed squeezing water into a bowl from a washcloth.

"We're not going to hurt your baby, Piper." Doris said. "We're going to raise her as our own. She's going to be a powerful leader, a great force of evil. You should be proud, very proud."

"I don't think mothers are proud when their babies are kidnapped and turned evil." Buffy said. Just as Doris turned, Buffy side kicked her in the head and knocked her out. "And that was without Slayer strength, bitch." She looked at Piper. "Can you walk?"

"I can try." Piper said. She let Buffy help her off the bed. They headed down the stairs and were almost to the bottom when another contraction gripped Piper and she tripped, falling to her back on the stairs and taking Buffy with her.

Cronyn came in and glared. "Stupid witch. You could've killed the both of you."

Doris ran down the stairs holding the back of her head. "Ohh, the Slayer caught me off guard."

"Just get down here." Doris walked to the bottom of the stairs. Cronyn went up to Piper and Buffy. He took out a knife and slashed at Buffy. She fought back, but he managed to slash her in the stomach. She cried out and doubled over which was when Cronyn punched her, knocking her out.  
Piper threw herself as best she could over Buffy. "Get away from us!"

"Her contractions are less than a minute apart." Doris said.

"Oh, god, please not now."

Angel, Phoebe, and Paige came around the corner. "Step aside, bitch!" Phoebe said.

"Yeah, that's our job." Paige added.

Cronyn held the knife up against Piper's neck. "Move, even breathe and she's dead."

"Vanquish him, Phoebe." Angel said.

"Your sister will die."

"It's to save the baby." Piper said, still trying to protect Buffy.

"Oh my God." Paige said.

"I'm warning you." Cronyn said.

"Kill him." Piper said.

"How can I?" Phoebe asked.

"Do it!"

"But I…."

"Phoebe, if you love me, you will send this crazy bastard straight to hell."  
Victor made his way down the stairs and pounced on Cronyn. With all his strength, he threw Cronyn over the railing. Paige threw a handful of unicorn dust over Cronyn. "Now!"

"Beast of legend, myth and lore, give my words the power to soar, and kill this evil evermore." Phoebe said.  
Cronyn and Doris ran for the door but were vanquished before they could get there. The demon sent by Cronyn, dead in the closet, exploded and disappeared. Angel ran over to Buffy and helped her up, holding her tiny form in his body. "Is everybody ok?" He asked.

"I feel like I'm dying." Piper said. "Is Buffy ok?"

"She'll be fine. Just hurry up and have that baby." Angel set Buffy down in a chair and then went over to Piper and picked her up.

Phoebe raced into the dining room with a doctor's kit. "Baby's coming, baby's coming!" She put the bag down and covered the dining room table with a sheet. She got a couple of pillows and placed them on the table. Angel put Piper up on the table and she leaned back on the pillows. "Ok, you're doing great, sweetie. Yes, you are. Let's see what we have here." Phoebe pulled up Piper's nightgown as Angel helped Buffy stand and walk over to hold Piper's hand. "Oh! I see a head of dark hair."

Piper started to cry. "You do?"

"What'd you expect? A blonde?" Buffy asked.

Leo ran in through the front door. "What'd I miss?"

"A lot!" Piper said. Leo ran over to them. "Dad and Buffy need help."

"Here, try this." Paige threw Leo the satchel of unicorn dust. Leo went over to Victor and sprinkled unicorn dust onto Victor's wound and healed him then he did the same to Buffy's wounds.

"Ok, breathe. Keep breathing, keep breathing." Phoebe said.

"It's ok. Breathe, just breathe." Paige said.

"Very good. Ok, relax, relax, you're ok."

"Dad?" Piper asked.

"Yeah honey?" Victor asked.

"I'm sorry about your demon wife."

"Oh, hush. Don't think about that."  
Leo walked over to Piper and put his arm around her. "I'm right here, baby."

"I love you Piper." Buffy said, crying. "I don't think I've told you that enough."

"I love you too Buffy." Piper put her forehead to Buffy's. "I don't care if you're just our cousin by blood. You're so much more. You're our little sister. This is your niece too."

Buffy hugged Piper tightly as Phoebe said, "Ok. You ok? You're alright. Ok. You're doing great, you're doing great. Push, ok? Last push."

"I can't!"

"You have to. A big one. Big one! Push!"

"You can do it." Leo said.

"I can't." Piper said.

"You can, you can." Phoebe said.

Buffy gripped Piper's hand tightly. "You can do this Piper. You have to."

"Ok, push." Piper pushed. "Push. Come on, push!"  
Piper squeezed the edge of the table and pushed. Above the entire group, a blue light shone down on them. "I guess magic's coming back." Angel said.

"Here we go, here we go. Oh, I see a shoulder. Oh, and another shoulder. And an arm." Phoebe helped the baby out. "Oh, and something else, something else." She picked up scissors from the medical kit and cut the umbilical cord. She picked the baby up which was glowing in orbing lights. "Hi, baby. Hi." She used a suction and cleared the baby's mouth. The baby cried and Phoebe turned the baby around to show everyone. "Look!"

"Oh. Is that what I think it is?" Paige said.

"Uh, if you're referring to Mr. Winkie between the legs, yes."

"You mean, I got a boy?" Leo asked.

"Here you go, mama." Phoebe handed Piper her baby.

"Hi. Hi, little guy, what are you doing? Look what we did." Piper said.

"I see." Leo said.

"It's a miracle." Paige said.

"A little miracle." Piper said.

"He's beautiful." Buffy sniffled.

"You are safe, you are loved, and you are wise." Piper smiled at her son. "How ya doing?"

Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige sat around the living room two days later eating lunch. Angel had fixed everyone grilled paninis and seasoned steamed vegetables. Piper and Leo were upstairs sleeping. Buffy was rocking the baby in his little bassinet next to her.

"So, when are they going to pick out a name?" Angel asked.

"Soon, I hope." Phoebe said.

"They're trying to pick out good names that start with a P to carry on the tradition." Buffy said. "Not an easy thing when the only one I can think of is Peter and that's not even close to good."

Paige laughed. "You look so natural doing that." A sad look came over Buffy's face and she sighed. "What?"

Phoebe leaned over and said, "They can't have kids."

"Because Angel's a vampire? They can do amazing things with science these days. And there might even be a spell…."

"It's ok." Buffy said. "I've accepted it. Besides, I'm _so_ not ready for kids at the moment. I don't know if I'll ever be."

"You will. And you can adopt."

"Yeah!" Paige said. "There's lots of kids out there who needs a good home."

"Good home?" Buffy snorted. "I don't think our home qualifies as a good home when it's constantly being attacked."

"Well, this is a good home and we're always being attacked."

"But the baby's going to have powers to protect himself."

"Oh, true."

Buffy shrugged. "Angel and I are perfectly content with just being Angel and I."

"Exactly." Angel said. "Besides, I'm 250 years old. I doubt I'd know how to take care of a kid."

"Are you kidding?" Phoebe said. "That should give you great insight on being an awesome parent."

"No. I was evil for over a century. And after I got my soul, I was a loner until Buffy came along."

Buffy smiled. "It's perfectly ok with us. We've accepted the fact that being parents isn't in our future. Besides, we may not have a future. We could die tomorrow."

"Way to look it." Paige said sarcastically.

"Sorry. It's just an outlook I've carried for a very long time. Hard to ditch when it's the truth."

Angel's cell phone rang and he picked it up. "Yeah? Doyle. You did? And? No. Hold on." He moved the phone away from his ear and covered the mouthpiece, looking at Buffy. "Doyle had a vision. He said that it's going to happen sometime in the next couple of hours."

"Oh." Buffy said.

"You can stay. I've got this one."

"Are you sure?"

"Of course."

"Thanks."

Angel put the phone back to his ear. "Ok, Doyle. I'm coming back." He hung up. "Paige, would you….?"

"Oh, sure." Paige said.

"I'll bring your clothes and everything back later." Buffy said.

"Thanks." Angel said.

"Be safe."

"You know me." He leaned down and kissed her gently. "See you later." Paige orbed them out.

Phoebe looked at Buffy. "You're not fooling me."

"What?" Buffy asked innocently.

"You're my twin, here, Buff. We share thoughts and feelings. You want a baby."

Buffy sighed sadly. "Eventually, yeah. But that's never going to happen."

"Sweetie, if there's anything I've learned from being a witch it's that anything's possible."

"I don't think there's anything more _im_possible than having a baby with Angel."

"Well, look at Leo, he's dead but he's making babies."

"That's a different kind of dead, Phoebs. Angel is all the way dead. As in _nothing_ in there works."

Phoebe laughed. "Well, I can think of one thing that works."

Buffy smacked Phoebe's arm, laughing. "Not in front of the baby!"

"What's not in front of the baby?" Leo asked from behind them.

"Sex talk. Good afternoon, papa." Phoebe said. "Enjoy your nap?"

"Not hardly. One of my charges kept calling me." He plopped down in one of the chairs. "I need sleep."

Buffy laughed. "Get used to it, daddy. This is how it's going to be for a good long while."

"We'll pitch in." Phoebe added.

"Of course."

"But we have jobs too."

"And I don't even live here."

Leo shook his head and went over to the bassinet. "How is my little guy?"

"He's doing good." Phoebe said.

"Waiting on a name." Buffy added.

"Yeah, we're working on that. But there aren't a lot of boys' names that start with P that seem good enough."

"Oh! How about Pierce?"

"As in Pierce Brosnen?"

"As in the sexiest James Bond next to Sean Connery." Phoebe said.

"Totally." Buffy agreed.

Leo shrugged. "I'll run it by Piper."


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10

Buffy was doing her nightly patrol in a pair of daisy dukes and a pink sports bra. Angel was on the other line of her cell phone. Buffy had opted to go out patrolling by herself while Angel and the others researched the weird dreams, the rise in demonic activity, and the insane heat. Speaking of, the temperature was stifling. Last she had heard it was in the three digits. Demonic activity was higher than usual and the Slayer was forced to go out and keep LA safe.

Buffy sighed and tightened her ponytail, saying into the phone, "I wouldn't mind patrolling naked tonight."

"I'm not disagreeing." Angel said.

"But I think I might scare the vampires off."

"Wouldn't scare this vampire off."  
Buffy smiled. She was about to say something smart ass to him, but at least twenty vampires were suddenly surrounding her. "Gotta go." She hung up and beat them back, but it seemed as if more kept coming. One right after another, the vampires were dusted, but they kept coming. Buffy was starting to get tired because of the heat weighing down on her, so instead of staying and fighting, she turned and ran, diving into a mausoleum. Throwing her minor weight and major strength against the door, she barricaded it herself. "This can't be good." Buffy said. "LEO!" He didn't come. "LEO! HELP! This is really an emergency!"  
A second later, Leo orbed into the mausoleum. "What's going on?" He threw himself against the door, helping barricade it.

"What's it look like! Orb us out of here before they get in."  
Leo grabbed Buffy's wrist and orbed. He took them to her to her and Angel's apartment in the Hyperion. Angel came running out of the bathroom in a towel. Buffy knew something was up when she finally got a good look at Leo's face. She knew her might-as-well-be-her-brother-in-law's looks and he had one that said something was up. "What's wrong Leo?"

"We found out this afternoon that two whitelighters were killed. The Elders put a ban on whitelighters orbing."

"Oh. So, uh…."

"But you're the Slayer. They told me to orb because you really needed help and they need you with the Charmed Ones."

"Then why'd you bring me here?"

"You might be staying for a while. I thought you might like to get some clothes."

"Ok."

"And hurry. The Titans could be hot on my trail."

"The Titans?" Angel asked, grabbing some clothes to throw on. "As in the Ancient Greek Titans?"

"Yeah. They've killed whitelighters and turned some to stone." Leo looked at Buffy. "They got Paige."

"Oh no." Buffy said, covering her mouth.

"Piper and Phoebe are working on a way to get her back. There's also a new guy. His name is Chris. He says he's a whitelighter from the future."

"Our side?"

"Don't know yet. The Manor's also overflowing with magickal creatures."

"Why haven't you called? I could've been there to help!"

"We've been so swamped, we haven't had time."

Buffy grabbed her bag and tossed it to Angel. He stuffed some of his clothes in the bag and zipped. "Ok, orb us."  
At the Manor, there was no time for a happy reunion. It was all business. Piper finished herding the mystical creatures into the observatory while Leo followed the little Elf Nanny upstairs to see Wyatt. Buffy pulled on a shirt from her suitcase over her sports bra and followed Piper up to the attic where they'd left Chris alone with the Book.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked.

"What does it look like I'm doing? I'm trying to find a way to free stone-cold Paige over here." Chris looked at Buffy and smiled brightly. "Buffy!"

"Who are you?" Buffy asked. "And how do you know me?"

"I'm Chris. We know each other in the future. You're the greatest living Slayer of all time."

"Uh huh."

"You're not…. Around anymore where I come from. You're stories are revered world wide in the future, though. Even mortals know about you."

"How far into the future are you from?"

"About twenty years." Piper said. "Step away from the Book, pal."

"Please, like I haven't looked in this before. By the way, you should update your goblins entry. It'll come in handy some day."

"Goblins?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, trust me. It's gonna get ugly. Look, obviously you don't trust me, but I touched the book, right? And the book thinks I'm good. Shouldn't you?"

"Well, maybe you found a way around that." Piper said.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Buffy said.

"Come on. I'm just trying to help." Chris said.

"Well, then if that's true, why don't you tell me how to vanquish the Titans?" Piper retorted.

"Except you can't vanquish them."

"You mean, not without the power of three." Buffy said, touching the charmed necklace she never took off.

"Maybe not even with that. The only way the Elders could stop them three thousand years ago was by infusing some mortals with a hell of a lot of power. Way more than you guys have."

"So they can do that again." Piper said.

"Not after what happened last time. When the mortals trapped the Titans, the power went to their heads. They declared themselves gods and forced the world to worship them. The Elders swore they would never allow that to happen again."

"Hang on a second, I'm having a ninth grade flashback. You're talking about the Greek gods, Zeus, Athena, Aphrodite? They were mortals?"

"Mythology left that part out. Not the only inaccuracy by the way."

Phoebe, the dwarf, and Finnegan the Leprechaun walked in. "Buffy!" Phoebe embraced the Slayer. "I saw Angel downstairs. Thought you might be here too."

"Phoebe, what are you doing? You're supposed to be….." Piper started.

"I know, I know. But I thought they could help us free Paige. After all, a leprechaun's luck has helped us before." She patted the dwarf on the shoulder.

"He's the leprechaun, I'm one of the seven dwarves. Try to keep it straight, will you?" The dwarf said.

"Sorry."

"It's gonna take a lot more than just me luck to free this one. We're gonna need some pixie dust too." Finnegan said.

"I'll get a fairy. Left my axe downstairs anyway." The dwarf said, walking out.

"Ok, so where are we?" Phoebe asked.

"Screwed. Possibly." Piper said.

Buffy held up a hand. "Ok, so if the Titans are roaming around, why are they killing whitelighters?"

"Because they need their orbing power." Chris said.

"Their orbing power? What on earth would they wanna do with…."

"Oh my god. Leo!" Piper raced out of the attic.  
Buffy looked at Phoebe, bewildered. "Wh-What'd I miss? What did she just figure out?"

"Nothing good." Chris said.  
Phoebe and Buffy ran out after Piper. "What's going on?"

"The Titans are after the Elders." Piper said.

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"I sent Leo up there to warn them."

"What's going on?" Angel asked, walking up behind the others.

"The Titans are after the Elders and Paige is still a statue." Buffy said.

"Not for long lass." Finnegan said.  
Angel did a double take. "Leprechaun." Buffy said with slight amusement. "Damn it, that must mean there ARE coincidences." She, Angel, and Phoebe followed the leprechaun up to the attic to watch the show.

A fairy threw magic dust on the Paige statue and Finnegan held out his gold nugget, hitting the statue with good luck. "Now, laddie!" Finnegan said.  
The dwarf hit the statue with his pick but nothing happened. "Don't know what else to try." He said.

"Running out of gold too, I'm afraid."

"Ok, well, there's gotta be something we can do. Just keep trying." Phoebe walked over to Chris who was looking at some things on a shelf. "What are you doing over here?"

"Nothing. You guys keep this stuff forever, you know that?" Chris said.

"You knew the Titans were after the Elders, didn't you? Why didn't you tell us?" Buffy asked harshly.

"I said it before, there's some things I can't tell you. Some things you need to figure out on your own."

"Even at the risk of making things worse?"

Piper walked in. "All right, what's going on? Leo is not responding to any of my calls and it's been over five hours."

"I really don't know." Chris said.

"Well, I really think you do."

"Look, you're the one who wanted him to go up there in the first place, not me. All right, fine, maybe I do know. And if I'm right, he's gonna need some serious alone time."

"You know what? Cut it out with the cryptic crap. I get enough of that from Angel." Buffy said. "You need to go up there and bring him back now. No more games."

"Ok, fine, I'll go. But if I were you four, I'd focus on freeing Paige because you're gonna need her. Soon." Chris orbed out.

"I swear to God, if he does not come back with Leo, I'm gonna blow his ass back to the future, orbs and all." Piper said.

"You know what? Why don't you go be with Wyatt and Buffy, Angel, and I'll take care of everything up here. We'll call you if anything happens, I promise. You're not breathing." Phoebe said.

"Nope."

"Breathe." Buffy said. Piper left.

"Ok. Next sister." Phoebe said.  
A couple of hours later, the fairy sprinkled magic dust on the Paige statue. "Now." Phoebe said. Finnegan held out his gold nugget, hitting the statue with good luck. Phoebe threw a potion at the statue. "Hit it!" The dwarf hit the statue with his pick. The stone crumbled and freed Paige. "Honey, hi!" Phoebe hugged Paige. "Oh, I'm so happy to see you. Are you ok?"

"What happened? Where's the Titan? What the hell are these guys doing here? Hey Buffy. Hey Angel." Paige said.

"Long story, we'll tell you on the way." Phoebe said, dragging Paige out of the attic and catching her up on everything. Buffy and Angel followed. They headed downstairs where Piper was sitting on the couch. "There you are."

"Ok, I get the whole epic Titan thing, but what I'm not getting is the Chris thing." Paige said.

"Yeah, we're still trying to figure that part out. Look who's not stoned."

"Welcome back. You've missed a lot." Piper said.

"Yeah. I can't help but think it's kind of all my fault though. I'm the one who lured the Titans here. Insert I told you so." Paige said.

"Done." Buffy and Phoebe said.

"I just kind of was obsessed with the whole weird dreams thing and…. but I am so sorry for any distress I might have caused you, Piper."

"Don't worry about it. I should've listened to you in the first place. Just trying not to worry or to panic. I've just got this terrible feeling in the pit of my stomach." Piper said.

"What kind of feeling?" Phoebe asked.

"That Leo's not coming back."

"Oh, Piper." Buffy sat beside Piper. "Of course he's coming back. How could he not?"

"I don't know, it's just something that Chris said about Leo having to go through this alone. I don't know. What the hell is he doing up there?"

The dwarf walked in. "Sorry to interrupt but we're all leaving now."

"Wait, why?" Phoebe asked.

"Didn't you hear the distress call? The surviving Elders have all been flushed out and they need protection."

"Surviving?" Angel asked.

"The Elf will stay behind to take care of the kid while you battle the Titans. Ciao." He left.

"Wait, who said anything about us battling the Titans?" Phoebe asked.

"Leo." Piper said. She started to call him. "Leo, for god's sakes, if you can hear me." Chris orbed in. "You? Where's Leo?"

"He's safe. For now. Paige, hi." Chris said.

"Hi." Paige said.

"Forget that. What do you mean for now?" Piper asked.

"What is this about us supposedly battling the Titans?" Phoebe asked.

"You're about to find out." Chris said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Paige asked.  
A tornado of light swirled around Paige, Phoebe, Piper, and Buffy. It shoved Angel out of the way and when it disappeared, the girls were wearing outfits from ancient Greece. Phoebe had extremely long and thick blonde hair, Paige was holding onto a trident, and Buffy held a bow and had a quiver of arrows and a sword crisscrossing on her back.

Chris smiled. "That's what that means."

"What happened? What are we?" Paige asked.

"You're gods."

Angel's jaw dropped with the rest of them. "What? But Buffy's not a Charmed One."

"Doesn't matter. She's a warrior of the light. She's also their family. She's one of them."

"You expect us to beat the Titans dressed like this?" Buffy asked looking down at her outfit. She was in a mini-skirt, one shoulder toga with a gold chain belt and a gold olive leaf brooch pinning up the shoulder. Her shoes were high heeled sandals that wrapped up around her legs to just below her knees. "Maybe at a costume party."

"That's not a costume. That represents your new position and power."

"Power? Power's good. I like power. Why do I like power?" Paige asked.

"Because you are the goddess of war."

"Ahh. Well, I guess that explains the pitch fork."

"It's not a pitch fork, it's a trident. Be careful, that's a formidable weapon."

"Right on. Who wants to fight?"

"I'm a lover, not a fighter." Phoebe said.

"You're the goddess of love." Chris said to her. He looked at Buffy. "And you're the goddess of the hunt…. Naturally since you are the Slayer."

"Totally cool! Wait till I call Willow and tell her. Can we take pictures?" Buffy asked, examining the bow.

"Well, then that must make me the goddess of sanity because I find this ridiculous." Piper said.

"Actually, Leo gave you dominion over the earth and all it's natural elements."

"Wait a minute, you're saying that Leo did this to us?"

"Chris? You never told us, do you have a girlfriend in the future?" Phoebe asked.

"As you can see, all of you have drives and urges based on your powers. Don't let them distract you, all right? Stay focused, focused on the Titans." Chris said.

"Hold it, pal." Piper said. "I don't know what kind of game you're running here, but Leo is not in the god-making business."

"How old are you, anyway?" Phoebe asked.

"The Elders forbid it. And if anything, Leo is a company man."

"The Elders did forbid it." Chris said. "And guess what, they're dead. Most of them. Leo's in charge up there now and he's taken a huge risk that you four won't lose your humanity like the ancient Greeks…. Whoa!"

Buffy had grabbed Chris's shirt and was holding him up in the air. "You killed the Elders. You could've prevented it. I say we castrate."

"A little control here, ladies, please."

"Can't we figure out something else to cut off?" Phoebe asked.  
Chris orbed out and orbed back in across the room. "I told you, stay focused. In my future, all the Elders were killed. That's why I came back to help Leo give you the power so this would never have to happen again."

"Hey, guys, watch this." Paige said. She pointed her trident at the piano and a bolt of lightning flew out of it, hitting the piano. The piano broke into pieces.

"Put that thing down, you're gonna hurt someone." Piper said.

"I certainly hope so. Do you know the kind of damage this thing could do?"

"A lot." Chris said.

"Paige, make love, not, you know. There's no door love can't open, no wall love can't climb, no hurdle love can't…. Hurdle." Phoebe said.

"This is Leo's strategy? Well, he must have lost it up there because these girls can't be seen in public, much less…." Piper said.

"Ooh, that reminds me. I'm late for the bachelor auction. I'm gonna go pick up a guy or two, or twelve." Phoebe clapped her hands and a pink misty heart appeared. A pink swirl of mist surrounded her and she disappeared from the room.

"Phoebe?" Chris called.

"Ooh, that's a good idea. I'm gonna go get in some target practice with some demons. Watch out Titans." Paige said. Lightning bolts surrounded her and she disappeared from the room.

"I knew this was gonna happen. You guys gotta go after them."

"Oh, no-no-no. This was your big plan, you clean up the mess." Piper said.

"No, your role is to provide balance. That's why you feel so grounded and in control."

"Why isn't Buffy going psycho with power?"

"Because she's used to the strength and that power in her. Only…. It's enhanced a lot more."

"Wow, Chris, that was actually pretty good. You almost sounded like a whitelighter. Too bad we already have one. And if he would like us to do something, he can come down and tell us himself." Piper looked at the roof. "Do you hear that?"

"You want Leo, hmm? Then vanquish the Titans. If you can't do that, you're gonna find out what a world of darkness feels like. My world."

"Seriously though, can we take pictures?" Buffy asked Angel. "The guys aren't going to believe this." She blinked. "Oh. We never called them. They probably think we're dead by now."

"I'll go call them." Angel said, kissing her. "Get your strength in check and refresh yourself on the bow. You haven't used one in ages."

Buffy saluted him. "Check!"


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Piper watched Buffy line up a shot and hit the middle of the center of the target again as if she had been trained from the moment she had been born. Piper knew that wasn't true because she remembered when Buffy had been born. She had held the tiny baby girl in her arms and told her that no one would hurt her because she was family and families stayed together. The witch could scarcely believe how fast Buffy had been forced to grow up. She was only 22 years old and a master at most of the martial arts and weaponry. Piper felt a deep sadness for her young cousin.  
Angel held up his sword and challenged Buffy with it. She pulled her sword off her back and crouched in a defensive position. He told her to hit him full force and she did. Instantly, he was on his back with the sword positioned above his neck. "I win again."

"You need the Mayor to help you out." Angel said, getting to his feet. "He was bigger and stronger."

"Yeah, but I blew him up with my high school." She smiled broadly. "Maybe we could put the Titans into a high school and blow them up too."

"It won't work. They'd just walk right on out." Chris said.

Buffy's face fell and she pouted a little. "Damn. That was so much fun."

"Buffy?" Piper said, walking over before they could start training again. "Do you want to come with me to get Paige?"

"Sure! I wanna see what cool flashy thing I can do." Buffy walked over to Piper and concentrated. Purple smoke wafted in a spiral around her and then engulfed her. The next thing she knew, she was standing in a clearing in the woods watching Paige vanquish a demon.

"Paige, what are you doing?" Piper asked, standing beside Buffy.

"How'd you find me?" Paige asked.

"Apparently it's one of my powers to keep an eye on you. What is going on here?"

"Oh, I'm just building an army. I figured what better way to smite the Titans than with hordes of demons, right?"

"Wrong. All of you out."

"We answer only to our liege." A demon said.

"I see."

"See, they're very loyal. And you know what? I don't know why I was wasting my time studying witchcraft when I clearly should have been earning my general stripes."

"I said go! Now!" The ground shook and the demons disappeared, frightened.

"What'd you have to do that for? I had followers."

"You can't have followers. None of us can. Now come on before I unleash my wrath on you." They all disappeared and reappeared back at the Manor. "Not in the house." Piper took the trident off of Paige and put it aside. "Now let's go find Phoebe."

The Elf nanny walked in beside Angel who was holding Wyatt. She looked around. "My word, this is a house of ill repute. Hardly suitable for an infant." She looked at Angel. "Gimme." Angel handed her the baby and the Elf walked off.

"Wh-What do you mean?" Piper asked.

"How does that feel, Phoebe?" A man asked in another room.

Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Paige walked into the living room. Phoebe was lying on a red sofa, surrounded by half-naked men. Some were fanning her with a large feathers, another was massaging her feet, and another was feeding her grapes. "Oh, make sure you peel those for me, will you?" Phoebe said.

"Phoebe? We need to talk." Piper said.

"Yes, we do. The world would be over flowing with peace and love if only we just talked more."

"Mm-hm. What are they doing here?"

"Oh, worshipping me, adoring me, exalting my name. There is so much love in this room I can barely stand it."

"Me neither. It's time to send your groupies away, now."

"But serving me makes them so happy." One of the men hands Phoebe a chalice. "Thank you, bachelor number three."

"Alright, all of you, show's over. Move along."

"We live to serve Phoebe." One guy said.

"Oh, you do, don't you?" Phoebe said. "That's so sweet. Piper, you need to get some followers of your own. It's a really great confidence builder."

"Are you eyeing me, soldier?" Paige asked as Chris walked in.

"What the hell is this? Goddesses gone wild? I told you to keep them in line." He said. "What would happen if the Titans attacked right now?"

"Chris, I've got it. Thank you. All of you, out!" Piper said. A gust of wind blew through the room and the men landed in the foyer all on top of one another. They quickly got up and raced outside.

"Now that's what I'm talking about."

"Time for a morality check. Leo did not give us this power so we could form armies or love cults. The ancient Greeks indulged in their whims that way and look what they became."

"Petty, evil, vindictive."

"Thanks, I've got it. Now…. Hi!" Piper poked Phoebe with a pillow. "Can you two get it under control?"

"Reason and judgment are the qualities of a leader. Tacitus, 100 A.D." Paige said.

"Love will keep us together. Captain and Tennille. 1970s." Phoebe said.

"I've got nothing to say to that." Buffy said with a shrug.

"Fascinating. Now, can we figure out a way to beat the Titans, cause I for one would like my family back. Soon."  
Suddenly, something jingled. "Is that a jingle?" Phoebe asked.

"There are no Elders up there. Who's jingling?" Buffy asked.

"It's Leo." Chris said.

"Leo can jingle?" Piper asked.

"Yep. He says an Elder's under attack. Like it or not, it's time to face the Titans."

"Yes! Finally someone who won't fall down with one punch." Buffy said.

"Hey, you're much stronger than you used to be." Angel defended, rubbing his chest. "Be safe."

"I'm a goddess. Of course I will." With that, all four women disappeared. They reappeared in another part of the woods.

A Titan looked up at them. "Who are you?"

"The Supremes." Paige said. She pointed her trident and a bolt of lightning headed for Cronus. He blocked it with a wave of his hand.

"She wields the powers of the gods." Demetrius said.

"Just kill the Elder." Cronus said. Cronus and Demetrius threw a stream of fire and a lightning bolt at the girls. They held up their hands and a light shielded them.

"Somebody get the Elder out." Buffy said.

"I can't. I can't move." Phoebe said.

"Me neither." Paige said.  
The Titans moved closer to them. "LEO!" Piper called. Then they all orbed out.  
Buffy looked around to find herself and the others in a sewer. The remaining Elders were there, clicking away. "Great." The Slayer groaned. "I have no luck with these places."

"Is everybody ok?" Piper asked.

"No. Is my hair singed?" Phoebe asked.

"You're fine."

"I guess we're not so all powerful after all. How'd we get out of there?" Buffy asked.

"I guess Leo must have orbed us out. But I don't know how, he doesn't have that kind of power."

"Well, he must have because we're out of there. What is this place, a sewer?" Paige said.

"This is sanctuary." Roland the Elder said.

"Oh, my, my, my." Phoebe walked over to him. "Aren't you just the edible Elder? Have you taken a vow of celibacy?"

"Phoebe. Stay on target." Piper said.

"Right."

"What do you mean this is a sanctuary?" Buffy asked. "Looks more…. Sewer-y to me."

"It's a safe house. Set up by Leo to protect the Elders." Roland said.

"Well, it doesn't look so safe to me. I can see unprotected points of entry all over the place." Paige said.

"Don't worry, the Titans can't sense our location. We're hidden from them by a web of fairy magic. Another of Leo's ideas."

"Leo did all this?" Piper asked.

"I was surprised myself. I'm afraid I was one of the Elders who always sold Leo short. What with him marrying a witch and all. No offense."

"Offense taken."

"I will never make that mistake again. Without Leo we'd all be dead. He's out there now tracking Elders as we speak, moving them here. We owe Leo everything."

"I guess so."

"Well, good luck with the Titans."

"One more question. What are you wearing under that robe?" Phoebe asked.

"More robes."

"Oh, that is so hot."

"This is getting tired." Piper said.

"A warrior preparing for battle cannot be weary." Buffy said. She stopped and scrunched up her face. "Let's pretend I didn't just say that."

"No, I'm tired of getting all this information second hand. I would like to hear it from Leo."

"Piper, I'm sensing a blockage in your spiritual energy. What's wrong, sweetie?" Phoebe said.

"I need to talk to my husband. I-I appreciate him becoming a magical folk hero for the masses and all, I really do, but enough is enough. Leo! Remember me? Your wife!" Leo jingled at her. "Don't you jingle me. I need more than a jingle here, mister. You will get down here right now!" The sewers shook like an earthquake.

Buffy looked a little unnerved, but she lightly smacked Piper's forearm. "Are you trying to alert the enemy?"

"Piper, I'm sure as soon as Leo figures out how angry you are, he's gonna come running down here." Phoebe said. They all looked up and waited a moment. "Ok, you can come running now. Look, sweetie, it's not like he's not busy. He's saving the world."

"And buying us time to vanquish the Titans." Paige said. "Although, I don't know where we're gonna get the strength from. They had no problem with my power."

"I didn't even get to hit him!" Buffy said.

"Then let's try my power." Phoebe said.

*****************  
Buffy sat with Angel at the top of the stairs. Phoebe was running through her little program to see if her powers defeated the Titans. Buffy had tried hers and she'd been in the game for a good ten minutes before the other Titan, Cronus, had showed up and blasted her with a lightning bolt. Downstairs, Phoebe had lost her game too.  
Buffy looked at Angel. "Do you think we can really do this?"

"They're strong, Buffy." Angel said, staring down at the floor. She sighed, admitting possible defeat. "But you're stronger. All of you together."  
She smiled. "I'm really glad you're here."

"I am too."

"Buffy!" Paige called.

"I guess the games are over." Buffy stood with Angel and walked down to the darkened parlor.

Phoebe sighed. "How did the Greeks do it?"

"Well, for one thing there were more of them." Paige said. "Like an entire mountain top full of them, till their powers consumed them."

"Maybe declaring themselves as gods gave them the strength to defeat the Titans."

"Honestly, I'd rather be flayed alive." Buffy said. "Being a Slayer's hard enough. Being a god? I'm guessing it's not a cake walk."

"Not an option for me either." Paige said. "God, I miss Leo." Chris orbed in. "Leo?"

"Oh, it's just you." Paige said.

"Hello, to you too. So the Elders are taken care of. Where's Piper?" Chris said.

"She's upstairs with the baby. Um, could you bring us Leo?" Paige asked.

"He's busy. How's it going here?"

"Not so good. I keep trying to come up with a plan to defeat the Titans but every battle simulation ends the same way."

"With our death." Buffy added.

"But you lasted the longest." Paige sighed. "We could really use Leo right about now."

"I'm starting to get that impression." Chris said.

"Could you bring him back?" Phoebe asked.

"For the last time, no. What is wrong with you three, huh? You're acting hopeless."

"I don't know. I mean, I guess I always feel like this right before a big battle, and then Leo comes down and I don't know how he does it but he makes me feel like I have the power to do anything."

"Really? It's different for me." Paige said. "It's like I forget that I even have any training and I, and I can't concentrate and Leo helps me focus and calm down. You know, I'm starting to think that we take Leo for granted."

"How do you do it Buffy?"  
Buffy blinked. "I'm used to battles and death. But I have Angel. I don't need Leo to rev me up. I'm all revved because I have friends by my side and I know they're always there to pick up the slack if I…. you know…. can't."

Paige blinked and looked at Angel for comfort. He shrugged and she sighed. "Are you sure you can't get him." She asked Chris.

"Leo…. Leo is up there, ok? And he's gotta stay up there until…. You know, what? I'm not gonna go over this again. What can I do to help you two get over the hump here?"

"Try saying this. It always works for Leo. Your power comes from your emotions." Phoebe said.

"What about this? Trust the power of three." Paige said.

"Or how about this one. I'm gonna go check with the Elders. Do you actually thinks he checks with the Elders?"

"Ha! No, he probably just orbs to a sports bar and buys his buddies rounds of drinks. Yeah, my wife thinks I'm up there. Here's to the Elders."

"You really are helpless without him." Chris said. He huffed and left the room.

"Is it just me, or is he really cranky?" Buffy asked.

"It's not just you." 

Angel walked into the parlor. "Doyle's vision free. I thought for sure the Powers would take an interest in this."

"Awe, come sit honey." Buffy said. "I think the Powers and the Elders both know that we can handle this one."  
Phoebe was leafing through a book about Zeus. "It says in here that Cronus swallowed his new born children to keep them from over throwing him."

Buffy said to Phoebe and Paige, "What if you lure the Titans to a field, I beat them into place, Piper lifts them with a tornado, and Paige, you hit him with your lightning?"

"I'm afraid there's no way to beat a man who eats his own children."

"Those stories are fables." Leo said behind them.

"Leo!" Phoebe and Paige jumped up and hugged him tightly.

Leo looked at Buffy. "Hey. You look pretty powerful."

"Welcome home, Leo." Buffy said with a slight smile.

"What do you have for me?"

"Paige ran every battle plan she knows which as a war goddess is basically every battle that's ever been fought. No matter how you spin it, warrior, Slayer, seductress, earth mother, we don't have the power to defeat the Titans."

"We can't beat them. They're too strong for us." Phoebe said.

"See how much this family needs you?" Piper said.

"No. I don't." Leo said. "You can do this without me. And it's not because you have the power of gods or the power of three…." He looked at Buffy. "Or four. It's because you are the greatest force of good that I know and that's why I chose you."

"Oh, see I could just feel the confidence wash all over me. He's doing it." Phoebe said.

"What is he doing?" Piper asked.

"Paige, you know exactly where to find the power to conquer the Titans." Leo said.

"I do?" She asked.

"Yes. You just need to focus."

"We have to declare ourselves gods."

"It's how the ancient Greeks did it."

"Chris told us not to do that." Piper said.

"Well, Chris is wrong. He doesn't know you like I do."

"But Leo, the ancient Greeks lost their humanity." Angel said.

"They're not the ancient Greeks, they're the Charmed Ones and the Slayer." He looked at Buffy, Piper, Paige, and Phoebe. "I didn't give you anything you can't handle. Phoebe, you lost yourself to the darkest love that ever existed and you came back. Of course, you can handle being the goddess of love."

"I never thought of it that way." Phoebe said.

"Paige, you're the goddess of war because you've been consumed with gaining power but you've never let the power consume you. Buffy, it's pretty obvious why you're the goddess of the hunt? You're the Slayer. But even more so, you're the strongest human being I've ever met. I've seen you get knocked down time and time again, but every time you get back up and fight. Piper, is it any wonder I made you the goddess of earth? You are everything that is good and beautiful in this world. The mother of my son."

"You really have that much faith in us?" Piper asked.

"Do you really even need to ask that? It's like I've always said, your power comes from your emotion and right now you need to dig deeper than you ever have before. Whatever motivates you. Your heart, your soul, your darkest fears. Whatever it takes, you need to find that and channel it into power. Power not to capture the Titans, but to destroy them forever."  
Suddenly, Leo started to glow. "Leo?" Piper asked.

"What's happening to me?" Leo asked.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

"Will Leo be ok?" Angel asked.

"I'm sure he'll be fine." Paige said.

"God, I hope so. I can't imagine being a Slayer when he's not my whitelighter." Buffy said.

"I know what you mean." Phoebe said. "Well…. Maybe not about being the Slayer."

"I get what you mean."

"So what do you think happened to him?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. Maybe…."

"He's an Elder." Angel said.

"What?" All three women asked.

"Leo's an Elder. It's pretty obvious."

"That can't be right. He's just a whitelighter." Phoebe said. "Our whitelighter."

"Not anymore. He's ascended."  
The girls were about to protest when the Titans showed up out of nowhere. Cronus grabbed Angel and threw him across the room. "Angel!" Buffy turned and looked at Cronus. "You hurt my boyfriend!" She attacked. At first it seemed like they were evenly matched, but then Demetrius grabbed her by the neck and threw her into Paige. Buffy landed on her feet and glared at him. "That's cheating." She attacked again, but the two Titans threw her through a wall.

"PIPER!" Phoebe yelled. Cronus sent her flying too.

"Where is the Elder that created you?" Cronus asked.

Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige got back up. The room started to shake and Piper appeared. Cronus and Demetrius sent lightning bolts and a stream of fire at Piper. It didn't harm her. "It's not nice to piss of mother nature." Piper held out her hands and the room started to shake. A hole opened in the ground in front of the Titans. A chandelier above, fell from the roof and into the fiery pit below. A dresser fell into the pit. Paige grabbed her trident and zapped the floor at the Titans feet. It crumbled and they fell into the fiery pit. Cronus held on and Buffy drew an arrow. She aimed it as his shoulder and let loose. He fell into the earth and the hole sealed back up aa Leo rushed down the stairs.

"So much for the Titans." Buffy said, helping Angel up.

"Thank god." Phoebe said.

"You're welcome." Piper said.

"You did it, Piper. You found the power you needed." Leo said. "You all did. Now it's time to give it back." Piper disappeared. "Piper?"

"What just happened?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know." Paige said.

"Leo, can you get this power out now? I'm ready to be Buffy again."

Leo nodded and orbed away. A minute later he came back holding an urn. Phoebe and Paige allowed their powers to be taken. They're clothes returned to normal with them. When Buffy stepped up, it was raining and thundering outside. "Are you ready?" Leo asked.

"Just get it out of me." Buffy said.  
Leo lifted the lid of the urn and Buffy's god powers return to it. "How do you feel?"

"Phew. Free…. And strangely juiced at the same time. Anything on Piper?"

"Nope, I still can't get a read." Phoebe said, scrying for Piper.

"Just keep trying." Chris said.

"Ok, even if we do find her, how are we gonna get her back? She's on this major power trip. She destroyed the Titans, not even the Greek gods could do that." Paige said.

"We've just gotta hope she has some humanity still left inside." Angel said.

"If anyone can come back from this, it's Piper." Leo said. "I've gotta go now. If you need me, Chris knows how to get in touch."

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked.

"The Elders have returned to the heavens and they're calling for me." He orbed away.

"Did he just bail on us? Is that what he did?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, what about, you know, helping us find his wife?" Paige asked.

"He's trusting in you to do that." Chris said. "You need to find Piper and talk her down before she sets up shop somewhere and throws the world into chaos. Then it'll be too late for her."

"Ok, maybe you missed the part about Piper being Leo's wife." Buffy said.

"Look, you have to understand. Things have changed. The Elders need Leo up there to help restore order."

"Cut to the chase, future man. Is this about Leo being turned into an Elder, or what?"

"He's on the path."

"Don't give us that creepy pod-people smile. Ok, in your world, being an Elder may be cool but in our world it pretty much sucks. Leo is our brother-in-law…." Phoebe said.

"And our Whitelighter.." Buffy added.

"And our friend." Paige said.

"And we don't want to lose him." Phoebe said. "So listen, you go up there and tell him…." Suddenly, a tree branch hit the window, smashing it. Angel grabbed Buffy and pulled her away just before it slammed into her. "What is going on with this storm?"

"Piper." Buffy said. "Piper's what's up with this storm."

"What do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"Remember when the Titans were first released, the major weather shifts, and the earthquake."

"Yeah." Paige said.

"When you have power over the earth like the Titans did, it's bound to suffer your emotional baggage."

"And like Leo says, our power comes from our emotions." Phoebe said. "Ok, ok. So if you're a god and you're angry and you're taking it out on the city, where would you go?"

"Somewhere high where I could enjoy the damage I'm inflicting." Angel said.

"Paige, you orb us to the highest spot you can think of. Angel and Chris…. Stay here and play checkers." With that, Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe orbed away with an umbrella and rain slickers.

They found Piper on a high mountain just before the Golden Gate Bridge. Piper was standing there soaking wet from the rain. She raised her arm and several flashes of lightning struck down on the city. "Piper!" Paige called.

"Stay away from me." Piper said.

"We're taking you home."

"To your family." Phoebe added.

"What family?" Piper asked.

"To your son. Wyatt. Remember him?" Buffy asked. "He needs his mother. He already lost his father, don't take his mother away from him too." Piper disappeared.

"What'd you do?" Paige asked.

'I don't know. I just reminded her of her family." Buffy's cell phone rang. "Hello? Hi sweetie. Yeah, but she disappeared again." Suddenly the rain stopped. "Apparently, she's given her powers up."

"Hey, you did it." Phoebe said.

"Yay me. We'll be home in a second." Buffy said, hanging up. 

Three days later, Angel sat in the living room of the Manor with Cordelia and Doyle on the couch next to him. Buffy was in the kitchen helping Phoebe and Paige. Phoebe was on the phone saying, "I know, Elise, yeah, it really was a great costume. I'm just glad that the night was a success. Ok. You too. Bye." She hung up. "Well, I managed to raise $18,000 for The Bay Mirror children's foundation. Gotta admit, being a goddess did have its perks. I even got a second date with Evan."

"What's Jason gonna think?" Buffy asked, walking in.

"You know, I miss Jason, I really do but I can't put my life on hold for him. You know, if he comes back to San Francisco then we'll give it another shot. How about you? You miss being a warrior princess?"

"No, I do not miss being a warrior princess." Buffy paused. "Besides, I guess you could say I'm one everyday."

"How bout you Paige?"

"Nope. In fact I don't think I'm even gonna miss being super witch." Paige said.

"What do you mean?" Phoebe and Buffy asked.

"I've been on this crazy magic journey for so long now I just think it's time to slow down a bit. You know, I've kind of let my career slide, let my friends slide. I think I'm just tired and I need a break."

They all picked up food trays and headed for the dining room. "You know, Paige, you should be really proud of yourself. All that hard work paid off. We beat the Titans."

"Yeah, I am, it's great. I guess I'm kind of looking forward to a change, you know, to help me take my mind off what we're losing."

"You can't look at it that way." Buffy said. "We didn't lose him, he'll be watching over us."

"It's different."

Cordy, Angel, and Doyle walked in just as the doorbell rang. "Come in!" Phoebe called.

Darryl and Sheila walked in. "Hi." Shelia said.

"Hey." Darryl said.

"Hi." Paige said.

"Hey Buffy." Darryl gave her a light hug.

"Darryl, Shelia, this is Angel, Cordelia, and Doyle." Buffy said.

"Nice to meet you."

"Are you sure you want us over today?" Shelia asked.

"Yeah, I mean, we don't wanna intrude."

"No, you're not intruding. This was Piper's idea." Phoebe said.

"I can only imagine what she's going through. How's she doing?" Shelia asked.

"We're not really sure." Buffy said.

"She wanted to be alone with the baby last night." Paige said.

"Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised if she didn't come out of her room for like a year." Darryl said.  
Piper came down the stairs all cheery. "Hi, guys, I'm so glad you could come."

"Hi."

"Hi. We wanted to show our support." Shelia said. She handed Piper a bouquet of flowers.

"Thank you."

"Yeah. Leo was…. Is…. somebody…." Darryl tried.

"Oh, come on, guys, this is a celebration. Leo got promoted. We should all be happy for him. I am."

"You are?" Paige asked.

"Of course I am."

"Piper, you don't have to put on a brave face. We're all here for you." Buffy said.

"Suppressing emotions can be dangerous." Cordy said.

"Especially in this family." Paige added.

"No, I'm not suppressing anything, really, I'm ok." Piper insisted. "Now let's eat before the baby wakes up from his nap. Oh, I forgot the baby monitor. Here." She gave Phoebe the flowers. "Be right back." She ran upstairs.

"Ok, let's eat." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, come on, honey." Darryl said. He and Sheila went into the dining room.

"Something's wrong with Piper." Buffy and Phoebe said.

"Maybe she's moved on." Doyle said.

"Piper doesn't move on." Phoebe said.

"She fights." Buffy said.

"I'm telling you, that wasn't Piper."

****************  
Outside, Chris sat on the stairs in the sunshine. Leo orbed in and Chris looked up. "So the Elders decide what to do with me yet?"

"Well, you've been the subject of heated discussion. One thing we agreed upon is you can't return to the future." Leo said.

"I figured as much. The timeline's changed, I don't even know what I'd go back to. So what did they decide?"

"The Elders voted to make you the Charmed Ones' and the Slayer's new whitelighter."

"They did?"

"As a reward for helping to defeat the Titans, but then somehow I figured you knew that. You know, I can't stop thinking about what Piper said and wondering myself if this wasn't part of your plan all along. Take good care of them, Chris. Don't forget, I'll be watching over you." Leo orbed out and as the white orbs left, Chris waved his hand and the white orbs exploded into nothing. He looked around and got up. He walked inside and closed the door with telekinesis.

No one inside saw the exchange.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13  
Doyle started screaming from downstairs. "Angel!" Cordelia called.

Angel ran out of the office. "What is it?"

"Doyle."  
The half Brachen demon was in the throws of a vision. "What? What do you see Doyle?"

"That wasn't right!" Doyle said, collapsing to the couch. "I need a drink." Cordy handed him water. "Thanks princess."

"What did you see?" Doyle just looked at Angel.

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked her cell phone, walking in from the garden. She looked around at everyone's somber faces. "I'll call you back." She hung up. "What's going on?"

"Doyle had a vision." Cordelia said, kneeling in front of her boyfriend.

"What about?"

"I saw you and Angel ripping into each other like feral animals and your cousins shooting dangerous magicks at each other."  
Buffy and Angel looked at each other. "What?" Angel asked. "We wouldn't…."

"Phoebe just called and told me about a premonition she just had. She said I was standing over Angel with a sword getting ready to chop his head off while she was using some spell to kill Paige."

"So they had the same premonition?" Cordelia asked.

"It appears so." Angel said.

Buffy looked at the ceiling. "Leo!"

"Ow." Doyle said.

"Sorry."  
Chris orbed into the room. "What?"

"I'm going to ignore that." Buffy said. "I called Leo. I need to talk to him."

"You know he can't come. I'm your whitelighter now. Get used to it."

"No. Leo's busy doing his thing trying to find the person or persons that sent him to that dimension. He's not too busy to watch out for me. Now, go get him."

"When are you four going to stop seeing Leo as your whitelighter and start accepting me?"

"Probably never. Leo's been my whitelighter for a long time."

"Buffy…."

"Chris, I don't want to argue. Just get Leo."

"Fine." Chris orbed away.

"That gets on my nerves so bad!"

"He's kinda cute though." Cordelia said.

"I'm not seeing him like that."  
Leo orbed in with Chris beside him. "Buffy…."

"I know, I know…. Chris is my whitelighter now, but this deserves some Elderly attention."

"What's wrong?"

"Phoebe had a premonition of Angel and I trying to kill each other and Phoebe, Paige, and Piper trying to kill each other at the same time. But wait, it gets crazier. Doyle just had the same vision."

"Phoebe had a premonition and she told you first?" Chris asked.

Buffy and Leo ignored him. "At the same time?" Leo asked.

"Pretty much." Buffy said.

"What happened in the vision?" Leo asked Doyle.

"For some reason unknown to me, those two and Buffy's cousins were ripping into each other like crazed loony bin psychos." Doyle said, holding an ice pack to his head.

"Have you talked to the sisters?"

"No. It just happened when Phoebe called me. I'm sure she's told Piper and Paige what's going on by now though."  
Paige orbed into the already crowded room with Piper and Phoebe in tow. "Phoebe told us what's going on."

"Where's Wyatt?" Chris asked.

"With the nanny." Piper said. "He'll be ok."

"Leo…."

"I'll go get him." Leo sighed and orbed out.

Everyone was settled onto a chair or one of the two couches sitting outside the office in the corner next to the main entrance. Angel sat in a big chair with Buffy sitting on the armrest, Leo and Chris sat on chairs pulled out from the office, Doyle and Cordelia sat on one of the couches, and Paige, Piper, and Phoebe sat on the other couch with Wyatt in Piper's lap.

"So, what're we gonna do?" Paige asked.

"We need to figure out why we would want to kill each other." Phoebe said.

"I don't want to kill anyone but the bad guys." Buffy said.

"Same here." Piper said.

"It could be a demon trying to get to Wyatt." Chris said.

"It has happened before." Leo said.

"Why would they go through us?" Angel asked.

"Because we're the ones protecting Wyatt." Buffy said. "It's perfectly logical. Paige, Phoebe, and Piper are around Wyatt all the time. And we're next in line to protect him if they fall. Turn us against each other and we'll be so busy ripping each other to shreds that a demon could slip right on in and take Wyatt."

"So, Leo can take Wyatt up to hang with the Elders while we try to figure out who's behind this." Piper said.  
Just then, the phone rang. "I'll get it." Cordelia said. She walked over to the counter and picked it up. They all waited for her to come back. "Angel…." Cordy leaned over the counter. "It's Kate."

"What's wrong?" Angel asked.

"We're going to have to postpone this meeting. We have a job."

Angel sighed and got up. "Yeah? What? Are you absolutely…. No, I'm a little busy. Kate…." Angel sighed. "I'll see what I can do." He hung up and walked back over to everyone. "Kate said that she got a tip that something big was going down at the harbor. She figured we'd like to know about it because we always want to know about it and it sounds more like our area."

"What time?" Buffy asked.

"Um, pretty much within the next hour or so."

"Why'd she just now call us?"

"Don't ask me!"

Buffy sighed. "She's always calling at the most inconvenient times. Let's just go down to the harbor and see what's up. Leo, can you take Wyatt up to visit all his uncle Elders?"

"Sure."

"And Chris…. I guess you can come with us."

"Oh, gee thanks. I feel so special." Chris said.  
Buffy rolled her eyes as they all orbed to the harbor. Cordelia looked around. "She said look for pier eight."

"Well, that's right over there." Angel said. "Let's move."

"Ok, Angel and I'll take the roof. There's a skylight up there we can slip in through. Paige, Piper and Phoebe, you guys stay down here and cover the front exit. Chris, Doyle, and Cordy, you guys cover the back exit. Wait for mine and Angel's signal."

"What's the signal?" Paige asked.

"Lots of yelling." Buffy and Angel jumped, catching the edge of the fire escape ladder. They scaled up it and crept silently onto the roof. With a quick glance down into the dark warehouse, Buffy opened the skylight and jumped in, landing quietly on a rafter. She moved over and Angel dropped down next to her. "Did you feel that?" As she had fallen through, she had felt a tug and a small wave of nausea that had passed quickly.

"Yeah. Magickal protection."

It was incredibly dark in the warehouse and Buffy could barely see even with her night vision, so she figured Angel wasn't having as much trouble as she was. She looked over at him and could barely make out his figure. "You ok?" He whispered in her ear.

"Yeah. This is unnatural darkness." She whispered back, trying to scoot closer.

Her thigh brushed his and she could hear the smile in his voice as he said, "Why Miss Summers, we are not in any position for that."

She chuckled. "All right Horny." Suddenly the lights switched on and Buffy almost gasped in surprise. The whole warehouse was full of demons that were completely alien to her. They were tall, very broad and muscular, and they were covered in dark blue fur. Their heads were reptilian, though, and covered in scales. Their eyes glowed crimson even in the light. They had a large fin that looked razor sharp on top of their heads and it gleamed in the light. Their fingers were tipped with long, yellow, serrated daggers instead of fingernails. "This can't be good."

"I think we need to get out of here."

"We can't leave. They're here for a reason and we need to figure out what that reason is."

"Five minutes."

"Works for me."

"Tonight will be our grandest heist ever!" One demon said, taking a makeshift stage. "Tonight, we will be paid our dues and we'll finally be able to go home!" The crowd cheered. "It has been a long time coming, but tonight we will take the Marianna by storm and retrieve the cargo that is so valuable to our employer. When the ship docks, everyone be at their stations. Our mole on the inside will give the signal and we'll go in, weapons slicing every living thing that stands in our way." The crowd cheered. "Get plenty of rest…."

Buffy moved away and Angel helped her climb up out of the skylight. He followed suit and they jumped off the roof, landing behind Paige, Phoebe, and Piper. Paige jumped. "What happened to the signal?"

"You look a little pale." Phoebe said to Buffy. "What did you see in there?"

"A whole gathering of demons that look like they could be man-eaters." Buffy said. "We need to get out of here before they realize we're here. Let's go get the others." The five of them walked around to the other side of the building, but Cordelia, Doyle, and Chris weren't there.

"Uh oh." Phoebe said. "This can't be good."

"Where'd they go?" Piper asked.

"Maybe they went home." Paige said.

"I doubt it."

"Chris!" Phoebe hissed. "You get your butt here right now!" After a few minutes had passed and there was nothing, a wave a dread washed over all of them.

"Angel…." Buffy turned, but her vampire boyfriend wasn't there anymore. "Great."

"Shh!" Angel called from the roof. He disappeared for a minute then jumped down. "They're in there. I didn't see Chris though."

"I'm right here." Chris said, orbing in behind Paige.

"Where's Cordelia and Doyle?" Angel asked.

"There he is!" A voice cried.

"Time to make tracks. Get us out of here." Phoebe said. "We'll come back."

Everyone huddled around Chris and Paige as they orbed back to the Hyperion. Angel wheeled on Chris. "What happened?"

"Guards. They found us." Chris said.

"You let them take Cordelia and Doyle?" Buffy asked, slamming Chris against the wall and pinned him there, feet dangling.

"I had to. Cordelia threatened to castrate me if I didn't come get you!"

"You should have orbed them out of there too!"

"They were too far away. I couldn't reach them."

"That's bullshit!"

"Buffy." Piper took Buffy's arm and pulled her away from Chris. "We'll get them back."

"No. That place is full of those demons. We can't go in there unprepared."

"We're not unprepared." Paige said.

"We need a small army to go against those things. They've got a magickal barrier up. I doubt your powers would work in there."

"How did Chris get out?" Phoebe asked.

"I orbed before they took me in the building." Chris said.

"Ok, Cordelia and Doyle have been taken and we can't get them back magickally." Angel said. "We have to take them by storm. Load up on weapons and go in figurative guns blazing."

"They'll be fine for now. They won't kill them."

"How do you know?"

"Because they knew that we were with you, Buffy, and the Charmed Ones. They want to keep them alive as bait."

"I really hate that word." Buffy said. Chris shrugged. "Ok, they're storming this ship called the Marianna tonight. There's something valuable on it that their employer wants."

"How'd you find that out?" Piper said.

"For some reason, demons really like to boast about their plans. Angel, talk to Kate and find out what is on that ship that could be so valuable. Piper, Paige, Phoebe, you guys work on a way to bring down that magickal barrier. Chris, go up there and let Leo know what's going on. I'll call Willow and the others and let them know what's going on here."

*******************  
Cordelia paced the little room that the demons had put her and Doyle in. There was no way to warn Buffy and Angel that they had already stolen what was on the Marianna because the demons had taken her and Doyle's cell phones. It was all a set up to get them to the warehouse and capture them so they could turn them on each other and get to Wyatt. If Buffy, Angel, and the Charmed Ones came in here, they would be ambushed and captured. Cordelia doubted they would put them in a room like they had done her and Doyle, but she knew they would keep them separate.  
The spell they were going to use on them was called the Spell of Mistrust. It was originally designed to affect all supernatural creatures within a certain area, but the demons had tweaked it so that it only affected the people they wanted it to. Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, Paige, and Piper were going to kill each other and there was nothing that Cordelia and Doyle could do. For the first time, Cordelia Chase, the bitch queen of Sunnydale High School, felt so useless and awful that she began to cry.  
Doyle hugged her tightly to him. "It's gonna be ok, darlin'. Buffy and Angel are smarter than what those demons take them for. They'll make it out of this ok and everyone will be ok."

"If there was some way we could warn them…."

"Shh…." 

Buffy watched Angel talk to Kate over the phone. "Are you sure? Yesterday? No, there was nothing…. If anything happens, we'll let you know. Bye." Angel hung up. "The Marianna docked yesterday and was robbed. Everyone on the ship was dead."

"How did we not know about this?" Buffy asked.

"Kate said no one knew until this morning. The robbery happened last night."

"So then they've already got their whatever and Cordelia and Doyle on top of that. What else could go wrong?"

"Those demons you described?" Piper said, walking up the stairs with the Book of Shadows. "They're called Gry-ikes."

"They're in the Book?"

"No. We found it in one of Angel's books and we're going to put it in the Book for future reference."

"How can they be killed?"

"Standard kill. Decapitation, stab through the heart…. Or your basic vanquish a la me."

"Good. How about that magickal ward?"

"It's complicated, but I think we can break it with the power of three." Piper reached into her pocket. "And I thought that you should have this back." She handed Buffy the triquetra necklace that held the Charmed Ones' powers in it. She'd given it back to them, not feeling right about borrowing their powers for longer than she should. She was also worried that if some demon got a hold on it, her cousins would be in trouble.  
Buffy smiled as she put it on. "I'll never take it off."

"We changed it a little though."

"Changed it how?"

"Well, we took our powers back and Prue gave us hers to put in it."

"All of hers?"

"Almost. The astral projection isn't in there. Just the telekinesis."

"I'll cherish it even more and no one will touch it as long as I'm alive."

"Figured as much."

"Now I really am one of the Charmed Ones."

"As far as we're concerned, you always have been. You're the littlest sister."

Buffy smiled, trying not to tear up. "I love you Piper."

"Hey!"

"What?"

"No saying goodbye."

"I wasn't….."

"Whenever you say I love you to someone, it's usually when you're expecting to die. I remember your graduation."  
Buffy smiled. "That was only that one time."

"And when the Sisterhood of Jhe was going to raise that demon from the Hellmouth…. And….."

"Ok, I get it! But this time, I'm not planning on dying. I'm planning on getting my friends back and kicking some demon ass in the process."

"That's the spirit."


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14  
Buffy awoke from unconsciousness to find herself chained up in the warehouse. It all came flooding back to her. They had rushed in ready to kill anything in their way, but there had been no one there. Not one demon. Or so they'd thought. Something had gone through Buffy a second after she had burst through the door with the others. Then all hell had broken loose and she hadn't had time to think about it.  
Now she found herself chained up and blaming it on Angel. That stupid son of a bitch. This was his fault. He should have protected her from getting her face bashed in. When she got out of these chains, that vampire was dust. He had done so much in the past to hurt her and all of it made her hate him even more. So maybe she'd let him live longer while she tortured him and reminded him of all the horrible things he had done to her heart. If it wasn't for him, she might be just a normal Slayer. 

Angel woke up in the shadows of the warehouse. The last thing he remembered was a very large fist tipped with serrated daggers heading straight for his face. Then he realized his arms were above his head. He tried to pull them down, but they were chained up. "God damn it!" He growled. He smelled Buffy's blood on the air and a very large part of him wanted to find her and bash her head in. Make her bleed some more. He felt like she'd betrayed him somehow.  
Wait, these weren't his thoughts. He didn't hate Buffy.  
That bitch had caused so much pain in his life since the first day he saw her. She should just be put out of her misery. Angel wanted very much to gnaw off his hands, find that traitorous bitch, and rip her throat out. He heard the clinging of chains and furious murmurs coming from the other side of the warehouse and turned to see Buffy yanking on her chains.

"Stupid son of a bitch." She murmured. "This is all your fault." Buffy turned and looked at him. "Yeah, you heard me. You just wait."

"For what? I get out of these chains and you're gonna regret ever looking at me."

"Screw you dick weed!"  
Leo walked into the warehouse. "What's going…. Buffy!" He ran to her and began to try to heal her wounds, but the magickal barrier was still up.

"No! Let her bleed. Traitorous, backstabbing whore." Angel growled. Leo started to undo Buffy's chains. "Leo, no! Don't."

"What?"

"Let me the hell out of these chains now!" Buffy screamed, pulling on the chains like a mad woman. She glared at Angel. "You scared that I'm gonna make it out first and kill you? Don't worry Angel, I won't kill you right away."

"It's a spell, Buffy. You have to fight it." Leo said.

"Screw you Leo!" Piper said from another part of the warehouse. "You should have warned us this was a trap, but noooooo! Mr. Big Shot Elder is too busy ignoring his family and hopping off to other dimensions with hot babes."

"Piper?"

"Stop complaining you morons!" Phoebe said from another part of the warehouse closer to Angel. "I'm so sick of hearing you people bitch and moan about evil this and evil that."

"Speak for yourself. You're just mad that your powers aren't as cool as ours." Paige said. Angel turned to see she was near Buffy.

"Screw both of you. I can't believe that you two are my sisters." Piper said. "This is ridiculous! I shoulda killed myself a long time ago."

"Is that all you people know how to do?" Angel growled. "Yak, yak, yak, yak, yak! Shut the hell up!"

"Go screw yourself Angel!" Buffy yelled. "This is all your fault."

"My fault? You're the Slayer you stupid bitch!" Angel shook his head, trying to fight off the emotions. 'Buffy…. This isn't us…. Think."

"Let me out of these God damned chains!" Buffy screeched. Blood flowed freely down her arms as she yanked the chains, trying to break them.

"They're magickally enhanced." Leo said. "You'll never break them."

"Magick? Someone here lied." Phoebe said. "You were always good at that Buffy. Always lying about being the Slayer and trying to protect us from the big bad world."

"Fuck you Phoebe." Buffy said.

"Guys!" Leo yelled.

"Go to hell Leo." Piper said. Leo walked out of the warehouse. "Finally!"

Leo orbed to Sunnydale and startled Willow. "Sorry." He said. "It's kind of an emergency."

"What's wrong?" Willow asked.

"Some kind of spell has been put on Buffy, Angel, and the Charmed Ones. They need your help."

"What kind of spell?"

"It's turned them against each other. There's lots of name calling and other really bad stuff being said to each other. If they get out of those chains, they're going to kill each other."

"Let me grab some of my books and I'll do what I can."

******************  
"Oh yeah, that's real nice coming from you vampire." Buffy spat. "God, what did I ever see in you?" She yanked on the chains again.

"Buffy…." Angel tried to shake the thoughts out of his head. "Go to hell whore."

"I'll send you back there just as soon as I get out of these chains."

"Buffy, stop for a second." The Slayer yanked harder and harder. "Fine you idiot. Slit your wrists and die."

"You're just mad that it won't be you killing me." Suddenly, the magickal barrier that had been up fell. The Slayer smiled. "Now you're in for it." The chains broke easily now that there was no magick to hold them.  
Angel snapped his easily too. "Bring it on Slayer bitch."  
The two charged each other as Piper blew up her chains and Paige orbed out of hers. Phoebe levitated off the ground and undid her chains from the hook they were attached to and the three witches faced off.

Buffy kicked Angel back, sending him crashing painfully into the wall. He vamped and got back up. "You're blood's gonna taste so much sweeter the second time around."

"You can try to kill me all you want, but you'll be dust before those disgusting teeth come anywhere near my neck." Buffy shot back. She dove at Angel and they went down in a heap.  
Phoebe dodged Piper's magick as she tried to blow her sister up. She got back to her feet and Piper snarled. "You're just mad that your powers suck."

Phoebe kicked Piper in the face. "You're just mad that you're not as great as me." Buffy suddenly remembered that Piper had given her Prue's powers and she tossed Angel back without touching him. He looked at her, completely stunned. "Now that's cheating."

"Whatever gets the job done." She hefted the sword she had found and prepared to behead Angel.

"Guys stop!" Everyone turned to see Willow and Leo standing in the doorway. Willow said something in Latin, clapped her hands loudly, and Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, Piper, and Paige collapsed to the ground.

"Are they gonna be ok?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. Let's just get them back to Angel's place quick."

"That's not gonna happen." A voice growled behind them. Leo and Willow turned to see a very large demon with dark blue fur, a scaly head, and daggers for fingernails standing behind them. Then, from everywhere, demons, just like the one in front of them, appeared. They surrounded Willow and Leo and picked up the others off the ground. "No one's going anywhere."

****************  
Buffy came around to consciousness again and realized she was being held up by demons. She let them think she was still passed out as she began to asses the situation. She remembered all the awful things she had said to Angel and her cousins and guilt overcame her. It hadn't been her though. She hadn't meant any of the things she'd said.

Now really wasn't the time for guilt trips. She was being held up by two very large demons and surrounded by a few dozen more. This was never a good thing. She caught Angel's eye as he came around. She mouthed sorry to him and he did the same. Then she made a gesture with her hand and sent the demons holding him flying backwards. He went with them and rolled to his feet, stealing a sword from one of his captors. Piper and Paige woke up and Buffy knocked their captors back too. The demons holding her suddenly blew up and Buffy rolled free, grabbing a sword on her way up.  
Everything came to a stand still as they faced off with each other. The good guys were really outnumbered, but that had never stopped them before. Then, they all charged. Buffy became lost in the battle, killing demons after demons. She moved the sword as if she were cutting through Jell-O. Bright yellow Jell-O because that was the color of the demon's blood that was spattering her clothes and the walls. She sliced another one and barely heard her name being yelled.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled.  
The Slayer turned just in time to see a demon bring a stake down to Angel's heart. Buffy screamed and threw herself at the demons, but it was too late. Angel crumbled to dust before her very eyes. "ANGEL!" Everything stopped in that instant. Piper had frozen everything as Buffy picked up the ashes of her dead lover. "Angel! No. God NO! This isn't happening. This isn't happening! Angel!" She began to sob. Phoebe tried to comfort her, but Buffy threw her back and got to her feet, whirling on the demon that had staked Angel. "Unfreeze him." The Slayer growled. Piper did and Buffy pinned the demon to the wall. It looked incredibly frightened. "Why?" Then she didn't care. She began to hack away at the demon, causing its blood to splatter everywhere. Then, she moved to the other demons, killing them until there were none left. Finally, she stood there covered in demon blood, and dropped the sword.

"Buffy…." Willow started.

"Don't touch me!" Buffy screamed. She looked over at Angel's ashes and then ran out. She ran as fast as she could, going to the place where the Oracles' temple was. She called them up and walked in.

"Slayer, why have you come?" The woman asked.

"Bring him back." Buffy said.

"I'm sorry. What's done is done." The man said.

"You can do it! You can bring him back. Turn back the clock."

"We cannot." The woman said.

"You did it before."

"This is where the vampire's life stops."

"No! He didn't deserve to die like that. Bring him back!"

"We understand your grief…." The man began.

"You understand nothing. He was my everything. He was the Powers' champion. They need him. Bring him back!"

"It is done. This is the will of the Powers That Be." The woman said.

"Bull shit! This can't be their will. He wasn't meant to die like that."

"It is done." The man repeated.

"Please. I need him."

"This is the final answer. We cannot bring him back."

"You can, but you won't. Fine, I'll find someone who will." Buffy turned and stormed out of the temple. 

"I can't sense her." Leo said. "She must not be in our world anymore."

"God, I hope she doesn't do something rash." Phoebe said.

"She's in pain." Piper said. "She just lost the love of her life. I know how she feels."

"Yeah, well thank the goddess she doesn't have her Godly powers. We'd be in some real danger." Paige said.

"No, but she does have Prue's powers now." Chris said. "Nice move."

"Prue wanted her to have them. There was no way that any of us could have known that Angel would be…." Phoebe stopped. Even though she and Buffy weren't twins in this life, they still retained the closeness that twins did. She could feel the pain and the anger Buffy was going through. "We've got to find her."

"I agree." Leo said. "Where would she go?"

"I don't know. I'm not used to LA." Willow said. "She's got a different life up here."

"She wouldn't go back to Sunnydale, would she?" Paige asked.

"No." Cordelia said, trying not to cry. "I know Buffy. She'll be looking for a way to bring him back."

"You don't think she'd go to Wolfram and Hart, would she?" Doyle asked.

"Oh God, she might."

"This could be worse than we thought."

"What's Wolfram and Hart?" Paige asked.

******************  
Buffy slammed Lindsey against the wall of his office. "Help me find Tempus and I won't rip your head off."

"It's impossible." Lindsey said. "Your cousins destroyed Tempus."

"No. He's an upper level demon. He can't be vanquished that easy."

"Miss Summers…."  
Buffy squeezed Lindsey's throat harder. "I came to you for help because I know you can help me. The question becomes: Will you help me or not?" She let him go when he nodded.

"There's this place…. Here at Wolfram and Hart…."

"What is it?"

"It's called the white room."

"Take me there."

"I can't. Only the senior partners know how to get there."

"Then take me to the senior partners."

*******************  
Lindsey and Lilah followed Buffy down the hallway. "Wow, the white room." Lilah said. Buffy ignored her. "I mean, they don't just talk about it. God, the white room. I was here three years before I even heard of it. Did they tell you what was in it?"

"Answers." Buffy said. They reached an elevator and Buffy looked at Lindsey. "Up or down?"

"Up." Lindsey said, pushing the button for her. The elevator opened and Buffy, Lindsey, and Lilah got in.

Buffy pulled out a piece of paper and followed the instructions written on it. She punched in a long series of numbers into the control panel. Then she hit the emergency stop button. A soft whirring sound came from the panel and then a blank white button materialized, centered above the others. Buffy pushed the large white button and the elevator suddenly radiated into a blinding whiteness that swallowed them up. They stood in a cavernous room that was completely white.

"Guess this is why they call it the white room." Buffy quipped bleakly.

"Hello." A little girl said behind them. "Buffy. Lindsey. Lilah, your fingernails are pretty. I love red." The little girl fixated on Buffy. "You have a taste for revenge. I know, it's so much more fun than forgiveness. So, what's up?"

"I hear you can bring me someone I need to get Tempus back."

"Why would you want Tempus back?"

"Because he's the only one who'll help me."

"Why?"  
Buffy took a step forward and Lindsey held her back. "Don't."

"Awe…. Did someone kill the vampire with a soul and break your little heart?" Buffy looked away. "Axtian is who you want. He's an upper level demon that can reach Tempus." The little girl smiled. "You know these things always come with a price." She looked at Lilah. "Kill her." Lilah's blood suddenly ran cold. She couldn't breathe as Buffy grabbed her head. The little girl laughed as only a little girl can. "That's good for now. I can see why they respect you." Buffy let go of Lilah. "Now, you can find your demon. Big ritual, it's all here." She held out her hand with a folded piece of paper on it. As Buffy reached for the paper it was suddenly in her hand. "Can't wait to see how it turns out. You have a web site?" Everything went white and they found themselves back in the elevator.  
Lindsey pushed a number and they got off on that floor and headed for his office. "So, you have you want. Is there anything else we can help you with?"

"Find everything that's on this list and get them to me within the hour. My cousins will be looking for me and Leo can sense me. I need to get this done fast." Buffy said.

"On it." Lilah took the list and walked out.  
Lindsey looked over at Buffy. "You're an amazing woman. I can't believe the lengths you'll go to for your man. Wish I could be so lucky."

"Keep dreaming. I'm getting Angel back." Buffy said, staring out the window.

"That little girl was right, there's always a price. Are you willing to accept it?"

"If it gets me Angel back, yes."

"Just checking."


	15. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

"She's back in our realm." Leo said.

"Where is she?" Phoebe asked.

"I can't tell. I'll have to go get her."

"I'm coming with you."

"So am I." Piper said.

"And me." Paige added.

"She's not very receptive to people right now." Leo said.

"We don't care." Phoebe said. "She's our sister in almost all forms of the word. We're not going to lose her too."

"Come on." Leo orbed them to an office that looked out over downtown LA. Buffy stood outside of a pentagram that was made of red sand. At each point of the star, a black candle was lit.

"Oh, this isn't good." Piper said. "Buffy, honey, what are you doing?"

"Getting Angel back." Buffy said.

"I don't see how this black magick is going to get him back."

"This isn't." Buffy began to read from the paper.

"Buffy, stop." Phoebe said. "This isn't going to bring him back."

The pentagram started to glow and the flames on the candles shot up. A swirling vortex was created where the pentagram had been and a very large shape formed above it. "Who dare calls me?" A voice boomed.

"I do. Are you Axtian?" Buffy asked.

"I am." The candles died down and the vortex disappeared. A very nasty looking demon with leathery, yellow-green skin stood there. He wore armor that looked like it was from the movie Braveheart and carried a very large staff with a glowing blade on the end. "Why do you call me here Slayer?"

"I'm looking for Tempus. I hear you can take me to him."

The demon laughed. It sounded like gravel being scraped across a chalkboard. "Yes, I know him. Why do you seek him?"

"I need him to turn back time."

"Why?"

"I lost someone very close to me. I need him back."

"And why should I take you to Tempus? You are the Slayer. You kill my kind."

"And I'll kill you if you don't take me to Tempus right this instant."  
Axtian laughed again. "The rumors are true. You are a spitfire."  
Buffy grabbed a letter opened from Lindsey's desk and walked up to Axtian, pressing the point to the demon's neck. "Take me."

"Buffy, no!"" Phoebe grabbed onto Axtian just as he shimmered out.

"Phoebe!" Piper said. "Leo!"

"I can't sense them. They're down in the underworld." Leo said.

"I'm guessing you're the cousins and Leo." A man said. "I'm Lindsey McDonald. If there's anything I can do to comfort you in this time of grief…."

"Oh stuff it." Piper said. She, Leo, and Piper orbed back to the Hyperion.

"Where's Phoebe?" Chris asked.

"She got shimmered into the underworld with Buffy and this demon named Axtian." Paige said.

"Oh, this is just great!"

"Chris, please shut up. We're going to lose Buffy if we don't get her back."

*******************  
"Where are we?" Buffy asked."

"This is my cave." Axtian said.

"Why have you brought me here?"

"It was too crowded up in that office. I'm much more comfortable here." He sat down on a chair made of human and demon bones. "Now, I have a proposition for you."

"Buffy…." Phoebe said. "We need to get out of here."

"What is it?" Buffy asked, ignoring her cousin.

"I'll take you to Tempus if you do me a favor." Buffy crossed her arms and waited. "There is a demon that I need you to kill. He goes by the name of Torula."

"Torula!" Phoebe asked. "Buffy…."

"You want me to kill a demon?" Buffy asked.

"He's been a thorn in my side for quite some time now." Axtian said. "If you do me this one small favor, I'll gladly take you to Tempus."

"But if time is reversed, this demon will still be alive."

"That's why you're going to bring him here. When Tempus turns back time, it doesn't affect the underworld."

"But Buffy…." Phoebe started.

"No." Buffy looked at Axtian. "I'll do it."  
Axtian stood and went a cabinet. He pulled out a little vile of purplish liquid. "When you have him, smash this at your feet and hold onto Torula. It will bring you here to me. I'll be waiting."  
Buffy nodded. "Where can I find him?"

"He's currently residing in San Francisco. Are you familiar with the area?" Buffy nodded. "Here." He handed Buffy a piece of cloth. "This is part of his shirt. Scry for him with it." Axtian clapped his hands and Buffy and Phoebe found themselves standing in the Manor's attic. It was day outside, but the sun was setting. Time moved quicker in the demon realms and Buffy figured they'd been there all day even though it had only been a few minutes.

"Buffy, can we please talk about this?" Phoebe asked.

"No." Buffy looked at Phoebe. "I've lost too many people in my life. I barely made it through Prue's death and I can't make it through Angel's. I need him back and the only way to do that is to turn back time."

"Torula is an innocent."

"What?"

"I know him. He runs a magic store downtown. He's half demon, but he's an innocent. Do you want that on your hands?"

Buffy hesitated. "If it gets Angel back, then I will do anything. I can't go on without him."

"You have to deal with that pain, Buffy. You can't kill everything that gets in your way. Piper tried it, but it wasn't any help."

"It's Angel…." Buffy's voice cracked as she tried to hold back the tears. "I need him." Buffy started to walk out.

"Oh God…. Ok, this might not work, but…. Just stay for one second." Phoebe put candles in a circle and lit them. "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide.'" Buffy turned to look at Phoebe, but a form shimmered into place before her.

Grams appeared. "Phoebe…."

"She needs this, Grams. Please?"

"I'm not supposed to do this." Grams sighed and looked at Buffy. "But Phoebe's right. You need to hear his point of view." Another form appeared next to Grams.

"Angel?" Buffy asked, looking up into his transparent form.

"Buffy?" He looked down at her. "What are you doing?"

"I need you back."

"You can't…. This isn't the way."

"No. I'm not going to go on without you."  
Angel stepped out of the circle and became solid. He touched her cheek gently, wiping away a tear. "Buffy, you can't kill an innocent. Not even for me. I know you're feeling hurt and grief stricken, but this is it baby. I'm done." Leo orbed in with Paige and Piper next to Phoebe. They stopped when they saw what was going on.

"What about your shanshu? You're not finished or else you'd be human."

"You know prophecies. They're never completely clear…."

"No. You didn't die saving the world. This can't be the final ending."

"It is." Angel wrapped her in his arms. "I love you Buffy Summers."

"Damn it Angel, I'm not going to let you do this."

"Buffy, I can't make it any clearer for you. This is it. My time's up."

"Then mine is too."

"What do you mean?"

"I quit. I'm not the Slayer anymore."

"Buffy, please don't…."

"I have no reason to keep fighting. My reason's gone."

"You have your friends. You have your cousins to fight for. What about Wyatt? Are you going to let him down too? He's still in danger. He needs his aunt Buffy to help keep him safe." Buffy looked down at the floor, tears falling to the carpet. "You know I'm right." She nodded. "You have to take care of each other now. You have to be strong, Buffy. You have to be brave and live. For me."

"I love you so much Angel."

"I'll never stop loving you Buffy. There is nothing that can change my love for you. Not even death." He kissed her lips gently and brushed her hair out of her face. "Just remember, I'll always be here, in your heart, when you need me."  
Buffy touched his face and brushed his cheek with her thumb. She pulled the claddagh out of her pocket. It had been buried in the ashes and she had found it when she was picking them up. She slipped in on his finger. "You are my soulmate. There won't ever be another one like you." She kissed the ring.  
Angel stepped back into the circle and disappeared with Grams. Buffy stared at the space where he had been and began to sob. Her legs gave out and she collapsed to the floor. Phoebe went to her and hugged her tightly. Piper and Paige came over and wrapped their arms around the two women. 

"I put this before all of you," Leo said. "He's needed on Earth."

"The vampire is finished." An Elder said.

"You know he's not. What about the shanshu prophecy? That never came to pass. He was never meant to die like that and the Powers know it. You have to persuade them to bring Angel back."

"This is a very serious plea, Leo." Another Elder said. "It cannot be taken lightly."

"I realize that."

"This is a personal matter for you?"

"Not entirely. Buffy has been my charge for eight years and I don't like to see her suffering like this, I will admit that. But you know what I am saying is true. Angel is needed on Earth. The End of Days is yet to come and the Slayer could very well fail without his help. Evil could take his death as a sign and begin the End of Days before anyone is prepared for it. His death this early could throw the entire balance of good and evil off. Please, consider what I'm saying."

The other Elders conferred with each other for a few moments. The oldest of them turned back to Leo. "We will discuss this further. Go back to the witches and the Slayer for now and help them grieve. You will know when we've reached our decision."

"Thank you."

*******************  
Buffy kneeled in the little clearing of Millers Woods in Sunnydale. It was beautiful this time of year. All sorts of wild flowers grew there and made the place bright and colorful. This had been Buffy and Angel's getaway spot. When patrol had been slow, this was where they came to make out, or talk, or even both. Buffy smiled slightly at the memory of Angel. She would miss him terribly and would probably never find anyone else to fill the void. The sun was setting and casting a beautiful pink glow over the clearing.  
Paige orbed Piper, Phoebe, and herself in behind her. "Leo said you were here." Piper said. "How are you holding up?"  
Buffy stood, holding the single red rose tightly in her hands. "I couldn't really tell you."

"Well, we've got all of your stuff back at the Manor. We cleared out that big old room that had storage stock piled in it and made that your room."

"Thanks."

"Are you sure you don't want to stay in LA?" Phoebe asked.

"Are you trying to get rid of me?"

"What! No! Of course not…" Phoebe walked up and wrapped her arms around Buffy. "I just figured that you'd feel more at home there than at the Manor."

"The Manor is my home now. I don't mind leaving everything behind. Too many memories."  
Piper walked up and hugged Buffy tightly. "We'll do everything we can to make sure you're all right."

"Just don't ask me if I'm ok every twenty seconds."

"Please!" Paige said. "We won't ask you every twenty seconds…. We'll ask you every thirty seconds."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you for this…. All of it."

"It's nothing." Piper said. "You're family."

"Hey! I don't know about anyone else here, but I could go for lots of ice cream and cheesy old movies." Paige said. "Let's go home, huh?"

"Just one more minute." Buffy walked over to the medium sized stone she had brought with Angel's name carved on it and put the rose on it. "Forever." She whispered. "That's the whole point."  
A single tear fell onto the stone and glistened there, giving Angel's name a heavenly glint. She smiled and walked back to her cousins, allowing them to orb her back home to the Manor.


	16. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Buffy was sitting on her bed in her room at the Manor staring at the jacket Angel had given her years ago. 

"_You're cold."_

"_You can take it."_

"_I mean, you look cold." Angel slipped his jacket on her.  
She looked down at it. "A little big on me."_

"_I heard a rumor there was, uh, one less vampire walking around making a nuisance of himself."_

"_There is. Guess I should thank you for the tip."_

"_Pleasure's mine."_

"_Course, it would make things easier if I knew how to get in touch with you."_

"_I'll be around."_

"_Or who you were?" Angel just smiled and moved around to the other side of her. "Well . . . . Anyway, you can have your jacket back."_

"_It looks better on you." He turned and left her sitting at the bar, staring after him. Angel gave her another look and then disappeared into the crowd._

"_Oh boy. . . ."_

She touched the leather and felt the tears fall down her face. It had been only three weeks, but it felt like an eternity to Buffy. "I'll just be a minute." Phoebe said in the hallway.

"It's ok. I understand." Jason said.  
Phoebe knocked on Buffy's door and opened it a crack. "Buffy? Awe, honey…." She walked over and hugged her cousin.

"He gave me this coat." The Slayer's eyes never left the coat. "I was at the Bronze and he said I looked cold and he gave it to me. When I tried to give it back, he said it looked better on me. It's been like my security blanket ever since."

"Sweetie…."

"I can't keep crying like this! I need to move on, but I can't."

"You loved him Buffy. Nothing can change that."

"Maybe we should go another night." Jason said from the doorway.

"You don't have to." Buffy said. "I feel bad enough that I've kept you guys from going out the last five times you've tried."

"We don't have to…." Phoebe said.

"No. I'm good. Loner girl extraordinaire here."

"Ok." Phoebe kissed Buffy's forehead. "We'll try to be home early. Piper's here with Wyatt if you need her."

"Thanks."  
Phoebe and Jason walked out. "Hold on just one more second." Phoebe headed to the kitchen. "Piper, Buffy's up in her room cry…."

"And I'm taking her lots of comfort food." Piper said, turning to reveal a tray full of goodies and a diet coke.

"No chocolate, peanut butter, or ice cream?"

"None."

"Why…. Never mind." Jason said behind them. "It'd be rude of me to ask."

"No, what?" Piper asked.

"What's the significance of chocolate, peanut butter, and ice cream? Is she allergic?"

"No…. No, not allergic." Phoebe said. "It's her favorite foods actually, but she doesn't want it anymore. We're not sure why, though." Jason nodded. Phoebe looked at Piper. "Ok, we're leaving. I'll try to be back early."

"No. Go. Have fun. Wyatt and I'll take care of Buffy." Piper picked up the tray and headed to Buffy's room. She knocked and waited. "Buffy, honey, it's Piper." Still no answer. Piper set down the tray and opened the door. "Buffy?" Leaving the tray on the floor, she headed off to find the Slayer. She found her up in the attic. Buffy had arranged lit candles in a circle and she was standing behind the book. "What're you doing sweetie?"

"Why won't he come?" Buffy asked.

Piper walked over and saw the spell Buffy was staring at. "You know he can't."

"He did before."

"But that was to save an innocent. You know the rules…."

"Screw the rules! Piper, I need to talk to him. I need to know if he's ok. 'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide.'" Piper watched, but nothing happened. It wasn't that Buffy didn't have the power to make the spell work, it was that she hadn't let herself start to move on. Angel couldn't come until she had learned to move on. Buffy started to cry harder. "He came back to me once. He came back from hell, so why can't he come back to me now?"

Piper wrapped her arms around Buffy and fell to the floor with her. She started to cry herself as she held Buffy tightly. "I hate that you have to go through this. I really do. If there was anything Phoebe, Paige, and I could do, we would already have tried it."

"I can't even say his name anymore! To think it…. It feels like I'm dying inside. His love isn't there anymore and I want it back."

"Honey…." Piper lifted Buffy's face and looked her in the eyes. "You are surrounded by love. I love you. Phoebe loves you. Paige loves you. Leo loves you. Wyatt loves you. And his love…. Angel's love for you isn't gone. It's in your heart and it's not going anywhere." Buffy started to sob into Piper's lap. "We still haven't gotten to see Prue since she died. It takes a long time to heal."

"I want the pain to go away."

"It won't ever go away. Angel was taken from you before you could even think about what was happening. That's not something that's easily forgotten."

A form started to glow and take shape in the middle of the candles. Buffy looked up. "Angel?"

Patty stood there in the circle. She looked around and then saw Buffy and Piper on the floor. "Oh, my poor little Buffy." She walked out of the circle and became solid. She hugged Buffy tightly.

"Hi mom." Piper said. "It's about time you showed up."

"I'm sorry. You know the rules, but I'm about to break them." Patty said. "Buffy…." She lifted her niece's head up and wiped away the tears there. "Angel sent me."

"Angel?" Buffy squeaked.

"Yes. He said to tell you 'stop crying lover. Things will get better.'"

"Why can't he come tell me himself? I don't want a messenger. I want him." Buffy looked up at the ceiling. "You hear that! Come down here and tell me yourself."

"Buffy, you know the rules."

"Stop talking about the damn rules! This isn't fair. He wasn't meant to die like that and everyone knows it. Including him." Patty looked hurt. "I'm sorry, Aunt Patty. I just can't take this. This is completely different from loosing Prue. Angel was my other half and I can't move on. I have nothing to move on to."

"That's not true. You'll see." Patty kissed Buffy's forehead. "You'll see." She walked back into the circle and disappeared.

Leo orbed into the room and looked at Buffy. "Are you ok?"

"No." Buffy said. "I wish everyone would stop asking that."

"I'm sorry….."

"No. I'm sorry. I can't help snapping at everyone."

"I understand." Leo sighed. "We need to talk."

"You and me?"

"Yes."

"Can Piper come too?"

"Of course. I think she needs to hear this too. In fact, it wouldn't hurt to have Phoebe and Paige here too."

"They're on dates. I don't want to bother them." Piper said.

"It's important."

"Can't it wait?"

"Not really."

"I'll call Paige and you go get Phoebe."

*******************  
Buffy sat between Piper and Phoebe on the wicker couch in the observatory. Paige sat on one of the chairs and Chris sat in the one opposite her. Leo stood and paced, holding Wyatt and cooing. "Ok, I left a really nice date for this." Phoebe said. "What's going on, Leo?"

"What demon do we have to fight this week?" Buffy asked with a sigh.

"None." Leo said.

"Then what's the point of this meeting?" Paige asked.

"Angel is."

"Angel?" Buffy asked. "What…."

"I talked to the Elders. They all agree that his time wasn't up. No one saw that demon staking him before it happened."

"They're bringing him back?"

Leo looked at Buffy. "In time."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You remember the shanshu prophecy?"

Buffy nodded. "How could I forget?"

"What's shanshu?" Paige asked.

"When the End of Days comes, Angel was supposed to fight, and if he won, he was supposed to become human. But he was killed before that happened. So, the Elders said until the time comes, they've created a way to help Buffy get back into the fight and grieve."

"I don't think that's very fair." Piper said.

"Yeah, after all she's been through." Phoebe said. "What could possibly do that?"

"Buffy, you're pregnant." Leo said.  
Buffy stared at him and everyone stared at her. She blinked, her mouth hanging open. "Excuse me?"

"The Elders talked to the Powers and they agreed to give you the child that you and Angel were destined to have."

"Angel's a vampire. He can't…. We haven't…."

"Obviously, but the Powers manipulated time. The Day that Wasn't: you conceived a baby that day, but since Angel turned back the day, the baby was never given a chance to be born."

"That was four years ago."

"The Powers can manipulate time and space."

"Oh…."

"We get to play midwives again!" Paige said happily.

Buffy stood, anger burning in her eyes as she glared at Leo. "Are you people nuts! That's not going to help me grieve or get me back in the fight! If anything it makes me feel worse. And a whole lot more pissed off!"

"What?" Chris asked. "I'd be happy."

"Well I'm not! Angel needs to be here. He needs to be here to raise his baby! Our baby! This isn't fair."

"He'll come back. The Elders said that the Powers want to wait for….." Leo started.

"I don't care what anyone said! There's no telling when the End of Days will come. There will be no waiting. Angel is going to be here to help raise his baby. Even if I have to use dark magicks to bring him back."

"Buffy…." Phoebe tried.

"No. No more talking. Doing. Bring Angel back now."

"I can't." Leo said."

"You can, but you won't." Buffy started to walk away. "This is crazy! I'm not going to do this without Angel here. I'll find a way to get him back."

"Where're you going?" Piper called. Buffy didn't answer. Phoebe and Piper jumped up and ran after her. "Buffy!"

The Slayer was headed up the stairs and back to the Book of Shadows. Phoebe paused in front of the book. "What are you looking for?"

"A way to bring him back." Buffy said.

"I don't think you'll find it in there. That's all good magic."

"Damn it, I wish Cole was still alive. He could find a spell for me."

"Cole was evil."

"Exactly."

"You're not."

"No, haven't ever been."

Piper slammed her hands over the pages, keeping them from moving. "Buffy, you need to stop. This isn't the way."  
Buffy looked up at Phoebe and Piper. "What way is? I am not raising this baby alone."

"You won't be. We'll be here." Phoebe said.

"I know you will be. And you know I'm not talking about you guys. This baby needs a father. Its real father. And I honestly don't know if I can explain to it that he's gone and won't be coming back until the End of Days rolls around."

"Maybe you'll get lucky and that'll happen real soon."

Buffy just stared at Phoebe. "Uh huh…." She gently moved Piper's hands and kept flipping.  
Piper pulled Phoebe away and over to the door. "We have to do something."

"Like what?" Phoebe asked. "She's determined to get him back now."

"You know she's smart."

"Yeah. Why?"

"She'll find that spell to get to the Underworld and they'll help her out down there."

"Yeah, for a price."

"Buffy was willing to kill an innocent until Angel stopped her. She definitely won't stop this time."  
Phoebe sighed and glanced over at Buffy who was looking at the Book with a big smile. "Uh oh." Buffy said the words of the spell before they could get to her and she disappeared. "This can't be good."

"Leo!" Piper yelled.

Leo, Paige, and Chris ran upstairs. "What's going on?" Leo asked.

"Buffy found the spell to get down to the Underworld." Phoebe said.

"And?" Chris asked.

"Well, let's see! She's not here, is she? So put two and two together Chris…."

"She's in the Underworld?" Leo asked. "Why?"

"Because they'll help her out down there." Piper said. "They're evil and willing to corrupt good things. Buffy is one of the best people I have ever known."

"Plus she's the Slayer. Prime target down there." Paige said.

"Not helping, Paige."

"I'm just saying. Some demons might not be so willing. Buffy could be in some serious danger."

"She's right, Piper." Phoebe said.

"Ok, so let's go! Leo, take us down." Piper said.

Leo looked at Chris. "Go up and talk to the other Elders. Tell them I sent you."

"What do you want me to say to them?" Chris asked.

"Tell them what's going on. They're going to lose Buffy and this baby to evil if they don't do something now."

"What do you suggest? Have them go against the rules and bring Angel back?" Leo stared at Chris. "If I get my wings clipped because of this you owe me…." Chris orbed away.

"Go, go, go!" Piper said, grabbing onto Leo with Phoebe and Paige.

They orbed down to the Underworld and ducked into a crevice. "Can you sense her?" Phoebe asked.

"It's hard to get a reading down here." Leo said. "But she's here."

"Which way?" Paige asked.

"This way." Leo poked his head out of the crevice and then walked out. Phoebe, Paige, and Piper followed. A couple of times, they had to duck into more crevices and small caves to keep from being caught as they searched for Buffy. "She's not far."

"Let's step on it." Piper said. "I'm not losing Buffy."

They moved farther through the dark tunnels and found a glowing chamber. A demon's voice echoed out to them. "And you've come seeking my help?"

"Anyone's help really." Buffy said. She sighed. "Are you going to help me or not?"

"This thing you ask…. It requires a lot of power."

"Do you have it? You're a warlock, you must…."

"I have it."

"Then what's the problem?'

"I've heard how you betrayed Axtian."

"I didn't betray him. He's a demon."

"All the same. You made a deal with him and you didn't come through on your part."

"The deal was irrelevant. I was supposed to do something for him before he did something for me. I pulled out because I was…. Delayed."

"Delayed?"

"It's none of your business."

"Ah, but you're making it my business by asking this of me. We all hear about your love for Angelus. We know he was killed three weeks ago. I'm not stupid Slayer. The person you want me to bring back is Angelus."

"Yes."  
The demons stared at Buffy for a long moment. "I will bring him back. But…. You will do something for me in the future. I'm no fool. I won't have you stabbing me in the back."

"I won't back out. Not this time."

"Good."

Phoebe pulled Leo and the others back. "She's on the fast track to shimmering!"

"Kinda noticed." Piper said.

"What're we gonna do?" Paige asked.

"Leo could orb her out of there." Phoebe said.

"And risk exposing us and getting us all killed." Piper retorted.

"Not like we've never done it before."

"Piper's right." Leo said. "That warlock in there with Buffy is Bazrithpa. He's one of the most powerful warlocks to ever walk the earth. He and Buffy have already made a deal and Bazrithpa will come looking for her if we take her out."

"We can put up a protection spell to hide us." Paige said.

"He'll break right through it."

"Not with the power of three."

"Even with. Bazrithpa is smart. He hasn't been vanquished yet because he knows how to manipulate people easily."

"Great. Could she have picked a better demon?"

"Buffy's always had impeccable taste for the good things." Piper said.

Chris orbed down next to them. "The Elders want to talk with you." He said to Leo.

"Now?" Leo asked.

"Now's really not the best time." Paige said. "Buffy's in there and she just made a deal with a devil."

Chris orbed away and then orbed back in with Buffy. "Come on!" He orbed back up to the Manor. A few seconds later, Paige, Phoebe, and Piper orbed in.

"Hey!" Buffy said. "I wasn't finished."

"Oh, yes you were."

"Buffy, calm down." Phoebe said.  
Buffy started to say the spell that would send her back down, but Piper put her hand over Buffy's mouth. "Oh, no you don't. Guys, lets get some enchanted ropes and some duck tape in here pronto."


	17. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

"What did the Elders tell you?" Phoebe asked.

"They sent me to get Leo." Chris said. "That's all I know."

"What did they say about Angel?"

"They didn't! When I told them what was going on, they started talking amongst themselves and then told me to go get Leo."

"Is that good or bad?" Paige asked.

"It could go either way."  
Piper looked in the conservatory at Buffy. She was tied up and had duck tape over her mouth so she couldn't say any spells. "I'm worried that Bazrithpa will come to get her."

"They didn't get to make the deal."

"It doesn't matter. They were going to."

"Then you'll just have to vanquish him."

"Is he in the Book?" Phoebe asked. "I don't remember seeing him."

"He should be."

"I'll go check." Paige said. "If there's a potion to vanquish him, I'll make it."

"Hurry." Piper said. "We don't know how much time we have."

"I'll go with Paige." Chris said, following her.

Phoebe and Piper looked at Buffy. She was still struggling to get out of her bonds. They knew that she hated to be tied up, but they had no other choice. Until Leo got back with news, this was the only way to keep her from doing anything rash. "God, I hope the Elders figure something out soon." Phoebe said. "I'm getting a lot of rage and confusion and hurt off of her."

"At least you got your power under control. You'd be just as crazy as she is right now." Piper said.

"Piper, I'm feeling everything she is and I understand why she'd be willing to go to the Underworld. When Angel was alive, all I got off of her was complete love for him. When he died…. I felt like locking myself up in my room because of how bad she felt. She has every right to be crazy. And damn it, those stupid Elders better bring Angel back because if they don't, we're not going to be able to stop Buffy. We can't keep her tied up forever."

Piper sighed. "I know."  
Leo orbed in behind them. "Hey."  
Both women jumped. "Leo! You scared us." Phoebe said.

"Sorry."

"What'd you find out? What did the Elders say?" Piper asked.

"They want to speak with Buffy. Where is she?"

"Tied up and gagged." Phoebe said.

"Why?"

"It was the only way to keep her from saying that spell to get back down to the Underworld."

"Why do the Elders want to talk to Buffy?" Piper asked. "It would be useless to try and scold her by slapping her wrist and sending her on her way with a warning. She's not taking any of this lightly."

"Actually, they want to talk to her to see if she is truly worthy of the gift they're going to give her."

"Angel?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. He's up there. He's already pleaded with the Elders to let him come back. He was acting almost the same as Buffy when he found out that she was pregnant."

"Will Buffy get to see him?" Piper asked.

"No. They need everything to be from the heart and if she sees Angel, she'll know what's going on and won't put much effort into it."

"What about Bazrithpa?" Phoebe asked. "What will the Elders do about him?"

"They said to watch your backs. He's angry that you all took Buffy away."

"Paige and Chris are upstairs working on a vanquishing potion right now." Piper said.

"Good. I'll go untie Buffy, you two help Paige and Chris. Make sure you're all prepared for an attack."

"Watch out for her hands. She's really learned how to use Prue's powers."

"I know. I will."

Phoebe and Piper ran upstairs to the attic. "So, have we got anything?" Phoebe asked.

"We're working on it right now. I sent Chris to get some sage root." Paige said, standing next to a pot of pink smoke. "It's the final ingredient and we didn't have any."

"Good."

"How's Buffy? Is it safe to leave her by herself down there?"

"Leo took her." Piper said. "The Elders want to talk to her. I think they'll be giving Angel back to her."

"That's good, right?"

"It should be. Especially for Buffy."

"Leo said Angel had pretty much the same reaction when he found out that Buffy was pregnant with his baby." Phoebe said. "Man, everyone's having babies around here but me and Paige."

"I'm ok with that." Paige said.

Chris orbed back in. "Here." He handed her a brown paper bag and looked around. "Why are you all up here? Did Buffy get away?"

"No." Piper said. "Leo took her. The Elders want to talk to her."

"About what?"

"I think they're giving Angel back to her."

"Good. He wasn't supposed to die."

Phoebe stared at Chris warily, but then looked at Paige as she put the sage root in. The pot exploded and then the smoke was sucked back in. Paige filled five little vials with dark blue liquid and handed one to Phoebe and one to Piper.

"Who're the other two for?" Phoebe asked.

"One for Buffy and an extra one." Paige said. "Just in case."

"Good thinking."  
Suddenly, a tornado started to swirl behind them. The four were thrown back in separate directions as the warlock Bazrithpa appeared with about five scrawny looking demons. "Where is the Slayer?" The warlock asked.

********************  
Buffy stood with Leo outside of a large chamber. She was still hurting and angry and wanted very much to kill every Elder in that chamber. Leo touched her shoulder and she flinched. "Are you ready?"

"I just want to get Angel back. I don't want to explain to them why." Buffy said.

"Why?"

"Because how can I put into the right words the love I feel for Angel and the misery I'm feeling without him here?"

"You've always had a way with words. I think you'll be fine." The large golden doors opened and Buffy walked into the large chamber. It was like a stereotypical heaven, but there were columns and at the front of the room was a long bench where twelve Elders sat, waiting. Leo walked behind her and then stepped up next to her as they walked onto center stage. "I have brought the Slayer. Ask what you wish of her, but please, whatever you do, don't push her. She's suffered enough."

"Agreed." One of the Elders said, standing up. He pulled back his hood.

"I know you." Buffy said. "I helped save you."

"Yes. Which is why you are here." Roland said. "You have done a tremendous amount of good in the world below and all of us have questioned why you are willing to throw it all to evil for a vampire." Buffy said nothing. She looked at Leo for help, but he didn't look back at her. "We are waiting Slayer."  
Buffy paused, not really knowing how to continue. Apparently her mouth did, because it started talking for her. "I can't explain to you the whys and the how-could-yous of my actions. Not the way you want me to. I couldn't give you all the answer your looking for. But I can tell you about a man with a demon inside of him." There were murmurs among the Elders, but Buffy just waited for them to stop. She looked at Leo again and this time he did look back at her. He smiled at her, knowing that this was her shot and she wasn't going to miss it. "I'll tell you about the man that kept me going. He's the best person I have ever met. Some people say that he's just a monster hiding behind a soul and I say that they're wrong. You all don't know him the way I do. You see him as a warrior who fought for his redemption and died in the midst of a battle. I see him as the man I felt was worthy enough to give my everything to. I love him with all of my heart and soul and if that's a sin, then I'll be content to live in hell for it. How can I explain to you what real love is when none of you have ever truly experienced it?" The Elders were silent. "Love isn't just one thing. It's not just a word people throw around casually. It's more than that. It's every fiber of your being. It's the tingling when the person you love is with you, holding you, and telling you that they love you. It's the little things they do that only you notice and cherish. It's one person's soul finding completeness when they find that one person. When the tingle's not there…. It's like you're not there. You're not whole. Angel was taken before he had any time to be whole."

"You had eight years with him." One Elder said.

"And do you really think that's enough? We never had time to relax and enjoy each other's company. Not the way everyone else gets to. Because we fight everyday and night of our lives, we didn't get to have each other. The tingle was there, but it wasn't the tingle it was supposed to be." Buffy sighed. "But it was still a tingle. And now that I don't have that…. I can't move on like everyone expects me to. Giving me a baby…. It just makes that ache in my heart swell. This baby needs a father. Its real father. Only Angel can give it the fatherly love that it needs. You want this kid to grow up and become everything it's supposed to? Then give it everything it deserves. A mother and a father." The Elders started talking amongst themselves. Buffy looked over at Leo. "What are they doing? What are they talking about?"

"You." Leo said.

"Well, they need to stop. I'm going to go back down to the Underworld and get Bazrithpa again because this is pointless."  
Roland motioned to the doormen and the big golden doors opened and Angel stood there. "Not so pointless now, is it Slayer?"

"Angel?" Buffy's eyes flooded with tears as they ran into each other's arms. "What's going on? Why are you here?"

"They're letting me come back." Angel said, holding onto her tightly.

"Why did they make me give that whole speech?"

"Because we needed to know if you're love for this one will last." Roland said.

"Well, that was just stupid. Did you not notice me going to the Underworld ready to sell my soul to get him back?"

"Leo, take them back down to Earth. The Charmed Ones need your help."

"What's going on?" Leo asked.

"Bazrithpa is attacking them to get to the Slayer."

"Come on Leo!" Buffy said, grabbing onto Leo's arm. Leo orbed them down to the Manor. They stood behind the warlock who was towering over a downed Phoebe. Buffy saw the vials sitting on the table and picked them up. "Hey skeleton boy!" Bazrithpa turned and Buffy threw the vials in the warlock's face. He screamed as flames engulfed him. The little skeletal monsters that were his minions started to explode too.

Phoebe stood up. "Kill the queen…."

"Kill the hive." Piper said. They all looked over t Leo, Buffy, and Angel. "They gave him back."

"Yeah." Buffy said, wrapping her arms around Angel tightly and walking out of the attic.

"Where's she going?" Phoebe asked.

"I think that those two need to be alone for a while." Leo said. "They deserve it after everything that's happened."

"So, how'd it go up there?" Piper asked.

"She did good. Obviously."

"What'd she say, Leo?" Paige asked. "Tell us everything!"

******************  
Buffy sat on her bed watching Angel walk around her room. Their room now. "What are you thinking?" She asked.  
He looked at her and smiled slightly. "That I like it here."

"Really?"

"I figured you weren't going to move back to LA."

"No. Phoebe and Paige are already trained to be midwives and there's no way that I'm having this baby in a hospital." She looked down. "Besides, it feels more like home here."  
Angel sat down beside her and touched her cheek. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"You were gone so long and I lost myself."

"Shh…. I know. I'm here now. There's nothing to be scared of or worried about. Our baby is going to grow up in house full of family love. Wyatt will have a playmate."  
Buffy smiled. "I'm so glad they gave you back to me. I was completely prepared to turn evil to get you back."

"And you know that I wouldn't have been happy with that. I don't want you in so much pain, but I don't want you sacrificing your goodness for me." He kissed her gently, passionately. "I love you and I'm here now. That's all that matters."

Buffy nodded, her forehead against his. "Just, don't ever leave me again."

"I won't." Angel pulled her to him and held her tightly. "I won't ever leave you again."

After a minute, Buffy said, "I guess that's why I've been completely insane the past couple of weeks. Hormones."

Angel laughed. "And I think you've gained some weight."

"That's the baby. Leo told me I'm almost 2 months along."

"Does it have a heartbeat?"

"It should. I read Piper's baby books while I was down here and bored."  
Angel laid her back on the bed gently and put his head on her stomach, his face facing hers. A huge smile spread over his face as he listened. "That's ours. That's our baby."

"Made when we were both just normal humans."

"For once, the Powers do something right."  
Buffy nodded and curled up at Angel's side when he laid next to her. He wrapped his arms around her and she laid her head on his chest with a sigh. "Do you think it would be ok to just lay here like this through my entire pregnancy?"

"That would work just fine with me." He kissed her hair and laid his cheek down on top of her head. "As long as I get to share the ice cream I know I'll have to go out and get late at night."  
Buffy laughed. "Deal."


	18. Chapter 18

Chapter 18  
Angel walked through the dark kitchen and headed to the refrigerator. He heard a sound behind him and spun to find Phoebe sitting at the table. She looked slightly miserable and she had every right to. Jason had found out that she was a witch and had broken it off with her for the time being.

"Can't sleep either?" Phoebe asked.

"Vampire." He said, a little uncomfortable that he was shirtless.

"How's Buffy?"

"Asleep. More like knocked out cold."

"When she sleeps, she's a hard one to wake up."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm fine. Just thinking. What are you doing?"

"I got hungry." Angel pulled out a jar of pigs blood.

"I keep thinking that's an ingredient for a spell every time I open that door." Angel poured himself a glass and sat down next to Phoebe. They sat there for a few minutes in silence, Angel every now and then taking a sip. "So, have you guys picked out any names?"

"Buffy wants to pick out Irish name. She likes Irish names apparently. She likes Breanna or Bridget if it's a girl and Aiden or Connor for a boy."

"Aren't you Irish?"

"Yeah."

"That's why. She loves you so much. Plus, she's surrounded by Wiccans."

Angel nodded. "I better get back to Buffy. She has this sixth sense for me and if I'm gone too long, she'll wake up."

"Ok." Phoebe sighed. "She's gonna look like a toothpick with an olive on it."  
Angel turned. "Huh?"

"Buffy. Once she gets bigger…. She's so little that she'll look like a toothpick with an olive on it. Maybe even a cherry tomato."

"Phoebe, get some sleep. You're exhausted."

"I've tried. Nothing works. The sheep have abandoned me."

"Angel?" Buffy called, walking downstairs.

"In here." Angel called back.  
Buffy walked in, wearing a long, fluffy, purple robe with the word princess written all over it. "What's going on? I woke up and you were gone."

"I just came down to get something to eat and Phoebe and I started talking."

"Oh. Are you ok Phoebe?"

"Can't sleep." Phoebe said. "How are you?"

"Suddenly juiced. Are the infomercials on?"

"Yup. I was just going to go and watch some."

"I'll bring the popcorn and the ice cream."

"I'll get it. You girls go on." Angel said.

"Thank you." Buffy and Phoebe flitted off to the living room.  
A few minutes later, Angel walked in and Buffy and Phoebe were both crying. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, we were just remembering when Prue died." Phoebe said.

"We haven't really talked about it until now." Buffy said.

"We just saw something of Prue's and Buffy commented on it and then one thing led to another. Stupid empathy powers." Phoebe lightly smacked Buffy's arm. "Stupid hormones."

"Sorry." Buffy wiped away her tears with a Kleenex.

"Isn't that when Paige came along?" Angel asked, sitting down next to Buffy.

"Yeah."

"So, what exactly happened? I've gotten it in bits and pieces and…."

"Well, we'd have to start at the beginning." Phoebe said.

"It's kind of a long story." Buffy added. She still hated talking about losing Prue. It still hurt.

"Well, all I know is you disappeared for three weeks and came back sadder than I've ever seen you and you told me your cousin had died. It's all a little hazy for some reason." Angel said.

"Time was turned back. Only Phoebe and I really remember everything that happened."

"Wait, you didn't know about us?" Phoebe asked.

"No. Buffy kept it secret about you guys being the Charmed Ones until about a year ago." Angel said.

"Only Giles knew." Buffy said. "He and Leo decided it would be safer if people didn't know we're related. I mean, it's completely unfounded for a Slayer and the Charmed Ones to be blood relatives."

"You are one powerful family."

"And gaining." Phoebe added, patting Buffy's stomach.

****************  
Buffy followed Prue, Phoebe, Piper, and the doctor they had just saved into the Manor. The girls had sent Leo after her because they had needed her help. Now she was staring out the window, waiting for something to happen.

"Ok, I think we made it." Piper said. "I'm sure we made it. Do you think we made it?"

"I don't know." Prue said.

"I think he would've attacked by now if we hadn't." Buffy said.

"Who?" The doctor asked. "Who would've attacked? Why won't you tell me what's going on?"

"Because we're busy trying to save your life." Phoebe said.

"From who?"

"Uh, unfortunately we're not quite sure." Prue said.

"That's because Phoebe did not give us time to figure it out." Piper said.

"Well, I didn't have a lot of time, I mean, I can't control how far in the future my premonitions take place. I saw the attack, we kicked butt, what more do you want?" Phoebe defended.

"I'd like to know more about who we're up against." Buffy said.

"Ok, Phoebe, maybe you should check the Book of Shadows, see if you can find anything else on this demonic hit man, ok?" Prue said.

"Excuse me, demonic?" The doctor asked.

"And how to vanquish him, that would be a good thing to know, and do not get side tracked with the Cole potion thingy because the only ones we are concerned about saving right now is ourselves." Piper said. Phoebe nodded and walked up the stairs.

"Ah, ok, what Cole potion?" Prue asked.

"Ah, he told her that he only killed because some demon cast a spell on him. How naive is that?"

"I thought she was over him?" Buffy said.

"Apparently not."

"What the hell are you talking about?" The doctor asked. "First you tell me my life's in danger, then you abduct me from my work, now you're talking about demons and witches. Who the hell are you people?"

"Look, I know that this all sounds incredible, but it doesn't make it any less true." Prue said. "All right, you're a healer, you do good, now either you have saved too many lives or you're about to save a life that they don't want you to save."

"They?"

"Yeah, demons."

"Uh, more specifically?" Buffy asked.

"Shax. He was the Source's assassin."

"Hold it! I get it." The doctor said. "This is a practical joke, right? Do you have a hidden camera here? My second wife put you up to this? Ah, it's just like her."

"Ok, Dr. Griffiths, listen to me, this is anything but…."

"What?" Piper asked.

"I don't know, I just felt a chill. Phoebe!"  
A tornado of wind twisted through the front door. The tornado flew through the foyer and knocked Prue and Piper to the floor. A clap of thunder was heard and the tornado calmed down and Shax appeared. He was a tall demon and was gray all over. Gray long hair, gray skin, gray unbuttoned shirt and gray long pants.

"Dear God!" The doctor said.  
Buffy pushed the doctor out of the way. Shax threw an energy ball at her and she literally crashed straight through a wall. "Buffy!" Prue yelled, she got up to help, but Shax hit her with an energy ball, sending her crashing through another wall. Piper got up and Shax threw an energy ball at her, sending her crashing through the same wall Prue had gone through. Shax turned to the doctor.

"What are you?" The doctor asked.  
Phoebe came down the stairs, holding a piece of paper. "Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you dwell, death takes you with this spell." Shax turned back into the wind and disappeared outside. Phoebe saw Buffy, Prue, and Piper. "Oh, no." She went over to them. They were unconscious and bleeding. "Oh, god. Leo! Leo!" Leo orbed in. "Hurry, it's bad."

Leo kneeled down beside Prue and Piper and placed his left hand above Prue and his right hand above Piper. He started to heal them. After a moment the blood disappeared and they were completely healed. They woke up and groaned in pain. Leo went over to Buffy as she started to get painfully to her feet. He healed what little wounds she had received.

"Ahh, what happened?" Piper asked.

"You guys almost died, that's what happened." Leo said.

Prue walked over to Buffy and checked her out. "I'm fine Prue!" Buffy pushed her hands away.

"I'm just checking. You went through a wall head first." Prue said.

"I noticed. And I'm the Slayer. I get thrown through big headstones on a regular basis."

"I'm just worried."

"I know." Buffy hugged Prue tightly. "I'm ok."

"Where's Shax?" Prue asked, turning to everyone else.

"Well, I tried to use the vanquishing spell on him but I think it just wounded him. He turned into the wind." Phoebe said.

"Maybe the spell needs more than one witch to have it's full impact. Ok, come on." Prue said.

"Come on? Where?" Piper asked.

"To find him so we can finish him off while he's still hurt." Prue looked at Phoebe and Buffy. "Look, you two just stay here with Griffiths, all right. If Shax comes back, say the spell to fend him off, ok? Ow. Come on." Prue and Piper left.

"Ok…. I'm not very good with this…." Buffy said.

"Neither am I." Phoebe said.

"We explained to the doctor what happened and why he couldn't tell anyone." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, and Prue and Piper were busy getting themselves exposed as witches outside." Buffy said.

"Of course _we_ didn't know it at the time."

******************  
Prue, Phoebe, Buffy, and the doctor were sitting on the cane chairs in the conservatory. Piper walked in holding a glass of water, and handed it to the doctor. "Thank you." He said.

"Now you understand why you have to keep this a secret?" Phoebe asked. "Why you can't tell anyone about us, about what you saw today."

"If others knew, we wouldn't be able to do what we do anymore." Prue said. "We wouldn't be able to help future innocents like we helped you."

"No, I understand." The doctor said. "I mean, I don't understand everything. Demons, witches, Slayers, the Source. So much for being an atheist. Your secret is safe with me."

"Thank you." Phoebe said.

"No, thank you. You saved my life, the least I can do is protect yours."

"Ok, I'll walk you to the door."

"Bye." Buffy waved.  
Leo walked into the room. "How'd it go?"

"We dodged another bullet." Piper said.

"Yeah, with him maybe." Prue said.

"What do you mean?" Leo asked.

"I don't know, I mean, something still bothers me about the way that we vanquished Shax. Like, I'm not so sure we really did."

"What do you mean?" Piper asked. "He screamed, he went poof, just like they all do. Third demon in a row, by the way, that I vanquished with my new power, but who's counting?"

Phoebe walked back in. "Right, but if that's all that we needed, then why was there a vanquishing spell in the book? I mean, hasn't that always meant that our individual powers weren't enough?"

"Except the book was written by witches with less powers than you guys have." Buffy said. "They needed the spells."

"Plus, I think if he was still alive, he probably would've attacked us again by now."

"Ah, you know, Leo, can you just check to make sure, please?" Piper asked. "With the Elders?"

"No problem." Leo orbed out.

"If you ask me, I think you're being paranoid. We kicked Shax's ass. We bad." Phoebe said.

"Yes, you're probably right." Prue said.

"Then I'm hoping you won't need me around here for a while. I wanna try a new potion on Cole. One that'll reverse the spell that turned him bad in the first place."

"Phoebe…." Piper said.

"I'm not looking for your approval, Piper, just your support."

"Well, Phoebe, it's sort of hard to give you support when you're just setting yourself up to get hurt again." Prue said.

"Cole is good inside, I know it. And if dark magic did this to him, then how come white magic can't save him? I can't just turn my back, I have to try."

"What do you want us to do?" Piper asked.

"I want you to use the magick to magick spell to send me down there. I reworded it to make it work." Phoebe handed Piper a piece of paper.

"Uh, Phoebe, that's awfully dangerous. If something goes wrong we won't be able to contact each other."

"I'll be safe. I'll be with Cole. And he'll bring me back, so don't worry about that."

"You're banking a lot on that little potion of yours, you know." Prue said.

"No, I'm not. I'm banking on Cole."  
Piper sighed and did the spell. Phoebe disappeared with a swirl of lights. "I'm going to get something to drink. Anybody else want anything?"

"Sure." Prue said. Buffy nodded and sighed. After Piper had left the room, Prue walked over and sat next to Buffy. "Hey…."

"Hi." Buffy said.

"You ok?"

"Yes and no."

"What's wrong?"

"Angel." Buffy looked at Prue. "I hate lying to him."

"Leo and Giles think it's the safest thing for us. And I agree with them. Our families wouldn't be safe if the demonic world knew that we're related. They just think we work together right now. And that's dangerous enough. The more people that know, the worse off we are."

"I used to think that. I did." Buffy stood up and walked over to look out the window. "But now…. I don't speak to my dad. My mom knows and she's careful. She stays out of the way. The only other family I've got…. Other than you guys…. Are my friends. And they can handle themselves. They have been for years."

Prue nodded. "Well, we'll talk to Leo about it later."

Buffy shrugged. "Yeah." 

***************  
Prue, Piper, and Buffy were out on the sidewalk in front of the Manor. Prue was crouched down looking at the pavement. "What did you expect to find?" Piper asked.

"I don't know, something though." Prue said.

"Well, demons don't usually leave footprints, remember?" Buffy asked.

"No, but sometimes they leave a residue when they've been vanquished. Something otherwise innocuous."

"Or there's a really gross smell. And I don't smell anything smelly."

Prue shook her head. "Look, I just don't understand how we could vanquish such a powerful demon without a spell."

"But frankly I'm more worried about Phoebe than Shax. We shouldn't have let her go." Piper said.

"Phoebe can take care of herself, Dr. Griffiths can't." They started walking up the street. "Look, I've had a bad feeling about this. I've had one all day. If there's one thing I've learned since becoming a witch, it's to trust those feelings." They walked past a little girl standing in front of her house.

"Hi." Piper said.

The little girl's mother came up to her and quickly pulled her inside. "Come on, sweetie, stay away from them."

"Hey." Prue said defensively.


	19. Chapter 19

Chapter 19

Buffy and Piper were in the kitchen. "You're too thin." Piper said, pushing a turkey sandwich in front of Buffy.

"I'm not hungry." Buffy protested, pushing it back.

"You're never hungry." Piper pushed the sandwich back to Buffy.

"Piper!"

Prue walked in, talking on the phone. "No, I understand." She looked at Buffy with that stern older sister look. "Eat the sandwich." Then back to the phone. "How long will he be in there? Ok, just have Dr. Griffiths call me as soon as possible. All right, thanks. Bye." She hung up. "Ok, well, at least Griffiths is in surgery, for now. No way Shax will attack him in there."

"Ok, but what do we do then? We can't protect him indefinitely." Buffy said in between bites.

"Well, if I'm right we won't have to. I mean, Shax will attack sooner rather than later. We should go."

"No, we should wait, for Leo." Piper said. "To see what he found out, especially with Phoebe gone. I mean, what if we need the power of three?"

The phone rang. "Oh, maybe that's Griffiths." Prue picked up the phone. "Hello? No, Darryl, just wait, slow down, ok. What?"

"Have you seen the TV yet today? It's all over it." Buffy heard Darryl say.

"What's all over it, Darryl?"

"Just turn on the TV, ok? I told the captain I would handle it."  
Buffy, Prue, and Piper looked at the TV in the kitchen. It was showing footage of Prue and Piper vanquishing Shax. Buffy nearly choked on her sandwich as Piper said, "Oh my God!"

"Prue? Prue?"  
The footage changed to Elana, the reporter, and her cameraman in a car. "Here we are approaching the home of where they allegedly live."

"Oh!" Prue dropped the phone.

"Prue, Piper, Phoebe Halliwell, and their cousin Buffy Summers. And you're gonna meet them live right here on KCSF."

"Oh…. That's so not good!" Buffy said.

"What are we gonna do?" Piper asked.  
The three ran to the windows and discovered dozens of camera crews forming on the Manor's lawn. They ran around, shutting the blinds and then met back in the living room. "This is so, so not good!"

The phone rang. Prue picked it up. "Uh, yeah…. Hold on." She handed the phone to Buffy. "It's for you."

"Yeah?"

"What is going on!" Willow asked on the other line.

"I don't know!"

"How'd they find out? Giles is having a cow!"

"Prue and Piper vanquished, or at least wounded, a demon and a reporter caught it on film. They think I'm a witch!"

Buffy could hear Giles raving in the background to someone. "You need to fix this now." Willow said worriedly.

"No kidding? I'll call you back, Will." Buffy hung up and went to the windows. Outside the manor, dozens more cameramen, reporters, etc. were standing on the sidewalk. Two vans were parked on the street. Darryl pulled up in his car and got out. Reporters raced over to him.

"I'll get him." Prue ran to the door and helped Darryl in.

"Isn't that illegal? Can't you do something about that?" Piper asked, talking about the reporters on their lawn.

"Hey, killing somebody on live TV is pretty illegal too, you know." Darryl shot back.

"Ok, it wasn't somebody, Darryl, it was a demon." Buffy said.

"And we're pretty sure we didn't kill him anyway." Prue said.

"Do you wanna try telling them that?" Darryl asked.

"Ugh!"

"Look, I've called for backup, but that's not gonna help for long. This thing's gonna get ugly fast."

"We shouldn't have followed Shax into the street." Piper said.

"We didn't have a choice, Piper." Prue said.

"Didn't we?"

"Sure, we could've let him kill our innocent. That would've been better, you think? All right, you know what? Let's not let this thing get between us, ok? We have enough problems as it is, please."

"More than you know." Darryl said. "The captain wants me to bring you in for questioning."

"Right, Darryl, and what do we tell him? The truth?" Buffy asked.

"What are you gonna tell them?" Darryl's cell phone rang. "Captain?"

"You know, maybe when Phoebe's done saving Cole, she can come back and save us." Prue said as Darryl walked into another room.

Leo orbed in and Piper scowled at him. "Hello, Leo, nice of you to orb in. Where have you been?"

"Trying to figure out how to get you out of this mess. It's pretty big news up there." Leo said.

"Well, in case you hadn't noticed, it's pretty big news down here too. Any suggestions?" Buffy asked.

"No, we're still working on it."

"Oh, well, by all means, tell them to take their time." Piper said.

"Well, they're not the ones that screwed up."

"Excuse me, screwed up? We've been busting our Wiccan butts for three years without getting caught. Don't we get credit for that?"

"Piper, you've been exposed. If we can't fix this it could undermine all the good that you've done and all the good that you're still destined to do."

"Well, maybe this is our destiny, maybe it's just not meant to be."

"You don't believe that."

"Don't I?"

"I don't." Prue said. "I mean, look, this whole year has just been a series of tests, right? To see what we're made of. Well, maybe this is one more test. Which means we can't give up, all right? So while the Elders are figuring out what we're supposed to do, we still have work to do, ok?"

"Dr. Griffiths?"

"Yeah, if we don't catch him before he gets out of surgery, Shax will." Prue looked at Leo. "Unless you know something we don't?"

"No, you're right, your powers aren't enough to vanquish him. You'll need the three of you to say the spell." Leo said.

"Yeah, well, we only have two of us and a Slayer. Don't ask, just orb us to the hospital, ok?" Prue said.

"I can't. The Elders won't let me. They don't wanna risk exposing Whitelighters too."

"Cowards!" Piper yelped as Darryl came back in.

"Fine, we'll just save him without your guys help. Let's go." Prue said.

"Whoa, Prue, Prue." Darryl said. "Even if you can save your innocent, that still doesn't save yourselves."

"Yeah, I know that, Darryl, but first things first, all right? Try and buy us as much time as possible with your captain as you can." Prue looked back to Leo. "And you, why don't you get back up there and White light a fire underneath your bosses butts." She, Piper, and Buffy headed for the back door.

"Willow wasn't the only one to call." Buffy said to Angel.

"Really?" Angel asked.

"Nope. Cordelia called and she said you were getting ready to come down and save me."

"So I knew your cousins were the Charmed Ones before you told me?"

"No. You just knew they were witches and we were in trouble."

"Did I make it down?"

"No. Cordy and I convinced you to stay up there…."

"You could handle it." Angel finished.

"You remember?"

"No. That's just a typical Buffy Summers answer."

Buffy closed her eyes and touched her stomach, letting out a breath.

"Are you ok?" Angel asked.

"I'm ok. I'm just feeling a little bloated and slightly nauseous." Buffy said. "Oh look, it's about time for morning sickness to kick in."

"Do you want to finish this story later?" Phoebe said.

"No, we can finish. This is the first time I've really talked about it and it would be stupid to stop now."

*********************  
Dr. Griffiths came out of a room and threw a surgeon cap in a hamper. He walked over to the reception desk and the receptionist handed him the phone just as Prue and Piper raced up to him. "Hi!" Prue said.

"He's still after you, come on." Piper said.

"Lets go."  
Buffy was waiting at the end of the hall. "Come on. Let's go!"

They raced out of the hospital. "I thought you said you got rid of this thing." Dr. Griffiths said.

"Yeah, well, we don't think that anymore, ok?" Prue said.

"Where are we going?"

"Just somewhere safe."

"Look, I'm not cut out…."

"Get in the car."  
They got in Prue's car, but a strong wind pushed Dr. Griffiths and Buffy out of the backseat of the car. They tumbled onto the grass and a woman screamed. The wind turned into Shax as Buffy scrambled to get Dr. Griffiths out of the way. Prue and Piper got out of the car and started to chant. "Evil wind that blows, that which forms below, no longer may you swell, death takes you with this spell." Shax blew up and disappeared. The people watching gasped and let out little screams.

"Now that was a vanquish." Buffy said. The people clapped and cheered. Prue and Piper looked around and noticed Elana and her cameraman filming them. Elana had a big grin on her face. "Oh crap."

"Oh. News at eleven." Piper said.

"Oh, that's bad." Prue said.

"How did she find us?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know." Prue turned to get Dr. Griffiths, but he was gone. "Ok, where'd he go?"

"We need to leave. Now." Piper said. 

*********************  
Outside the manor, there were now hundreds of people standing outside, holding cardboard signs. There were dozens of cameramen and news reporters. A helicopter flew above. Police were trying to get the crowd under control. One blond girl was standing on top of a van yelling, "Prue, Piper, I'm one of you! I'm the only one who understands! I can help. Hey! Prue! Piper!"  
Buffy, Prue, and Piper were hiding out in the kitchen. Piper was looking through sheets of paper when Darryl walked in. "Get those idiots off the driveway, get them back behind the tape." He said to his walkie talkie.

"All right, what I can't figure out is how they knew that we were at the hospital. I-I mean, they didn't follow us. I was watching for them the whole time." Buffy said.

"Reporter probably low jacked Prue's car and followed you."

"Forget it." Prue said. "You know, I really hope Phoebe's doing better down there than we are up here."

"Look at all these interview requests we're getting." Piper said. "Ted Coppell, Time Magazine, Jerry Springer…. Sports Illustrated?"

"Yeah, they probably want you for the swimsuit edition." The girls gave him a dirty look. "Just kidding."

"You know what? This is a nightmare. Where is Leo?" Prue saw Dr. Griffiths on the TV. "Uh, Piper? Is that who I think it is?"

"And then one of them said they needed a vanquishing spell." Dr. Griffiths said to a reporter on TV.

"Dr. Griffiths?" Buffy asked.

"She ran upstairs to get some book. I don't know, some witch-type book I guess. Something that told them how to kill that demon."

"Oh, so much for keeping our secret. Turn him off."

Prue changed the channel and a woman showed up. "The sisters were always a little strange if you ask me. I know for a fact that Prue once cast a spell to make my boyfriend break up with me. Evil."

"Ok, Susie Johnson from tenth grade?" Prue said. "They're interviewing her?"

"I always wondered why they broke up." Piper said.

"Not funny, not funny. Ooh! Leo." Prue and Piper walked into the conservatory with Buffy close behind. "Leo! Leo! Leo!" Leo orbed in. "Ooh. All right, this thing has to end now, ok? The media is turning it into a freakin' circus."

"Now you know why the Elders have always been highly concerned about exposure." Leo said.

"Okey-dokey, now we know. Do they have any solutions or not?" Piper asked.

"One. But it's a long shot. You have to try and contact Tempus."

"Uh, Tempus? T-Tempus, the demon?" Prue asked.

"He's the only one on the other side who has the power to manipulate time. To reset everything before this all started."

"Ok, you're, you're definitely right, that qualifies as a long shot." Buffy said.

"We vanquished him." Piper said.

"No, you defeated him, you didn't vanquish him. But that's not the real problem. The real trick is trying to contact him. He's an upper level demon who's well insulated."

"And why would he want to help us? I mean, we can't make a move without the whole world tuning in to watch. We're basically powerless. Why would he want to change that?"  
Suddenly, the blonde girl from on top of the van burst through the conservatory door. "Cool, I made it!"

"Who the hell are you?" Piper asked.

"I'm Alice, Alice Hicks. I've been trying to contact you. I want to join your coven."

"Are you nuts? This is our home! Get out of here!" Prue said. She used her power on Alice and she flew outside.

Darryl ran in, gun at the ready. "All you stay back, all you stay back!" He stopped, confused. Prue stared at him. "You guys ok?"

"Yeah, we got it, Darryl. All right, this has to end now or our lives are over!"

"Ok, so how do we contact Tempus?" Buffy asked.

"Through Cole. He's an upper level demon, isn't he?" Prue asked.

"Why would he help us?" Piper asked.

"Because helping us helps Phoebe." Buffy said.

"Are you allowed to orb down there?" Prue asked Leo.

"Yes, but I won't be able to find her until I'm down there." Leo said. "I can't track her from up here."

"Alright, well, then you'd better hurry." Prue said. Leo didn't go. "Ok, what's the matter?"

'Well, once I'm down there you won't be able to contact me if you get in any kind of trouble."

"Honey, what more trouble could we possibly get in to?" Piper asked. "Besides, once time resets itself then everything should be fine. So go, and be careful."

"Yeah, you too."  
Piper kissed Leo as he orbed out and then looked back at the papers. "Ok, so what do you say? Oprah or Barbara?" Prue smiled. "Barbara makes you cry. We go with Oprah."

Buffy looked around. "I think we need to barricade these doors. Keep people from getting in."

"Good idea." Prue said.

"Ok, so heavy stuff against the main doors…. And lots of little stuff on top of that." Buffy walked away as Prue and Piper got to work in the conservatory. Everyone was still outside, yelling and holding up cardboard signs.

"I don't know why we're bothering to do this." Piper said.

"In case time doesn't reset itself." Prue said.

"If time doesn't reset itself, this table against that door is not gonna help much."

"Yeah, well, then we better start thinking about what would, ok? Because if Leo doesn't succeed, we're gonna have to figure out what we're gonna do." Buffy walked by carrying the very large and heavy dining room table as if it were Styrofoam. Prue shook her head with a slight smile.

"We're gonna do talk shows and book signings and movie deals…." Piper said as Prue picked up the Book of Shadows.

"And then taken by the CIA and dissected." Buffy said as she moved the table around in front of the door.

"Yeah, how can you be joking about this?" Prue asked.

"Who's joking?" Piper and Buffy asked.

"Well, I'm not, all right? I'm scared. And you two should be too." Buffy walked in and stood next to Prue, looking at Piper as Prue continued. She made sure Prue couldn't see and started mimicking her to make Piper laughed. "Ok, our lives, Piper, everything that we've worked for could be completely destroyed with-with one stupid mistake. Our entire future, our entire destiny could be wiped out just like that." Prue snapped her fingers and a gunshot went off. Piper gasped. "What was that?" Piper looked down and saw blood on her shirt. Her hands were shaking.

"Piper? Piper." Buffy was freaking out as she grabbed Piper before she fell. She looked at her hand and it had Piper's blood on it. "Oh! No…."

Prue held a towel pressed against Piper's wound. "I know, I know, it's ok."

"Leo! Leo!" Buffy yelled.

"Ok, we have to get you to the hospital. Come on." Prue helped Buffy help Piper up. "Leo!"  
They made it outside and Elana ran up. "Miss Halliwell, Miss Summers, please, what is going on?" Prue opened the door to her car and helped Piper onto the back seat as Buffy climbed in back with Piper. "Miss Halliwell, please."

"Leo!" Buffy screamed as Prue got in the car and started the engine. She drove to the end of the driveway but everyone was blocking her way out.

"Move!" She honked the horn.

"Miss Halliwell, what is going on?" Elana asked.

"Move!" She continued to honk the horn. She got back out of the car.

"Prue!" Buffy called.

"Move out of my way! I need to get her to the hospital, move! Move out of my way! What's wrong with you people? Leo!" She got furious and used her power on Elana and her cameraman. Everyone started running away and she used her power on anyone in her way. They landed on cars and hard on the ground. Prue got back in her car and drove down the driveway, tearing off down the street.


	20. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

Piper was on a stretcher and four doctors were racing her to a room. Buffy and Prue were running beside it. "Hang in there." Prue said.

"Where's Dr. Griffiths? He should've been here by now." Buffy said.  
Dr. Griffiths raced up. "How'd this happen?"

"Some idiot in front of our house." Prue said.

"What do we know?"

"Pulse seventy, weak." One doctor said.

"I need some numbers, people."

"One, two, three, go." They lifted Piper onto a bed. Prue held Buffy's hand tightly as they stood off to the side.

"Smaller entry wound, upper right back."

"Larger exit wound, abdomen."

Dr. Griffiths listened to Piper's chest with a stethoscope. "Lungs failing. Start an I.V…. Two units of O, stat."

"Right away." A nurse said.

"Leo!" Prue called. Buffy had gone into shock. She was pale and shaking and her legs were barely holding her up. All the death she'd dealt with before and this was the first time it had been someone this close to her.

"Get 40cc's of adrenalin." Another doctor said.

"Yes sir." Another nurse said.

"He can't hear you. Leo. Something must have gone wrong." Piper said.

"Piper, don't you dare die on us." Prue said.

"Prue, I'm cold. I-I-I can't feel my legs."

"Pulse is dropping." One doctor said.

"Don't go, Piper. I love you." Buffy said, sobbing.

The line on the heart monitor flattened out and Piper went into full arrest. "Full arrest." Dr. Griffiths said. "Paddles!" Two doctors brought over the paddle machine. Dr. Griffiths picked up the paddles. "Gel." The nurse squirted some gel on a paddle and he rubbed the two together. Buffy and Prue stood back and cried, holding on to each other. "Clear!" He used the paddles on Piper but it didn't work. "Recharge. Clear!" He used them again but it still didn't work. He stood back from Piper and Buffy buried her head in Prue's shoulder as Dr. Griffiths looked at Prue. "I'm sorry."

"No!" She cried uncontrollably and closed Piper's eyes. "Get out of here. Go!"  
Buffy sunk to the floor, sobbing. "Piper! No…. Please no…."  
Prue pulled tubes off of Piper. A SWAT member walked in the room. "Just keep your hands where I can see them and you won't get hurt." Prue turned to him. "Easy." She used her power and he flew out of the room. Another SWAT member ran in. Prue kicked him and used her power. She grabbed a metal bar and poked it through the handles of the door, then turned off the lights. Leo orbed in and looked down at Buffy first where she was sobbing on the floor next to Piper's bed holding her dead cousin's hand.

"They killed her, Leo." Buffy sobbed. Leo looked at Piper. "They think we're the demons now."  
Leo walked over to Piper and started to cry. "Oh, god. How can this be happening? I don't understand. I'm so sorry." He leaned over and kissed Piper's forehead.

"Can you make this right or not?" Prue asked. She pulled Leo up. "Go!" Buffy grabbed Leo's hand and they orbed out.  
They ended up down in the Underworld. Phoebe saw Buffy covered in blood and sobbing. She ran to Buffy and hugged her tightly. Cole stood behind them and looked on in sadness. Leo looked at Phoebe. "You don't have to do this."

"Yes I do." Phoebe looked at Cole. "So, will resetting time affect us down here?"

"No." Cole said.

"Good. I only have one condition. You must warn Prue and Piper before the demonic hit man attacks. Otherwise they're dead anyway." Cole walked away as Buffy sobbed. "Shh…. It's ok. It'll be ok."

"No, it won't! I don't want to remember, Phoebe!" Buffy said. "Make me not remember."

Phoebe held Buffy tightly. "You have to. You have to remember sweetie. You have to warn them."

*****************  
"And time reset itself." Phoebe said.

"You didn't make it on time." Angel said to Buffy.

She looked away sadly. "No. Leo and I were too late. He went to Piper and healed her, but Prue was too far away to heal both of them. I held Prue as she died in my arms right over there." Buffy pointed to the very spot her cousin…. Her older sister had died in her arms.  
Angel stroked her hair and brought her to him in a tight hug. "I wish you would have called me."

"I wish I would have called you too, but honestly you were the farthest thing from my mind that week."

*******************  
"Piper?" Buffy called. She walked into the attic wearing her PJ bottoms and a spaghetti strapped top. "Sweetie, it 4 o'clock in the morning. What are you doing?" Piper didn't answer, just stared blankly at the book. Buffy noticed Piper was bleeding and got a towel. "You're bleeding."

"I don't understand why magic can't fix this." Piper said. "And why we can't bring Prue back. It's not like we haven't cheated death before. I don't understand why this time isn't any different."

"Because Leo can't heal the dead, Piper. You know that."

"There's other magic, magic that we've used before." Piper flipped through the pages and fought the tears. "Scrying, calling a lost witch, reversing time." She closed the Book of Shadows and stood up. "It's like the book just deserted us and deserted Prue, and I don't understand why."  
Buffy took Piper's other hand and held them both, sharing her pain. "You lost your sister. I lost my cousin. How can we ever understand that? You've tried every magical way to bring her back…. But you can't. She's gone. I just…. I thank the gods that I didn't lose you and Phoebe too. We have to get some rest. Prue will never forgive us if we look bad at her funeral."  
Piper couldn't help but smile through the tears at that. She stood and looked down at the Book of Shadows one last time before closing it. Arm-in- arm, she and Buffy walked out, shutting the door behind them.

The parlor was set up for the post-funeral gathering. Phoebe, dressed for the funeral, adjusted some flowers on the table. She walked into the living room, where Victor, dressed in a dark suit, and Joyce, dressed in a black dress, were sitting on the chair. Victor was staring vacantly at the floor bearing the kind of grief only a parent who has lost a child knows. Joyce was holding his hand, comforting him the way only a sister could.  
Phoebe gave her Dad a small kiss. "Can I get you guys anything?"

"Oh, no thanks sweetie." Victor said.

"Aunt Joyce?"

"Thank you Phoebe. I'm ok."  
Phoebe watered a plant and fiddled with a few other plants. She looked up to find Leo entering the parlor with Cole. Both men were dressed in suits. "Look who's back." Leo said.

"Cole!" Phoebe ran to him and embraced him in her arms and then released him. "I was afraid you weren't going to make it to the funeral."

"Well, I-I can't make it…. Or shouldn't anyway. The Source has got every demonic bounty hunter out there looking for me." Cole said.

"Yeah. So what else is new?"

"This is different. Saving you makes it different…. Makes me a traitor and he's not going to stop until he finds me and I don't want that happening at Prue's funeral."

"So, we'll protect you."

"You can't protect me."

"Why not? We're still witches, aren't we?"

"Yeah, but you're not the Charmed Ones anymore."

"He's right, Phoebe. Without the Power of Three…." Leo said.

"I don't understand. Why can't Buffy be a Charmed One? She's family, she's supernatural…. She can take over for Prue."

"It isn't that simple. She's not your sister. Not by blood, anyway. She's not a witch. She's the Slayer. Buffy's destiny is different from yours."  
Phoebe sighed and looked back at Cole. "Isn't it harder to track a demon in a cemetery, Cole? You have to go. I need you there."

The doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Buffy said, walking down the stairs in a pair of black pants and a gray, flowy top.

She opened the door and Darryl was standing there. "Hey, how are you holdin' up?" He asked as they hugged.

"Ok. It's sweet of you to stop by."

"Had to. Besides, I thought you guys should know: they're assigning Prue's case to another inspector."

"What case?" Leo asked.

"What case? Are you kidding? Prue and a prominent doctor were killed here, Leo. Made a lot of press. People want answers. Important people."

"So, what's this guy gonna find?" Cole asked. "That it was a demonic hitman? Gimme a break."

"He might. Look, you don't know him like I do. He'll keep looking until he finds something, believe me."

"I'm not worried."

"Well, I am." Leo said. "I saw what happened when they were exposed as witches. Time may have reversed itself, but it still cost Prue her life."

"Would you people mind? For God's sake, we're burying my daughter today. Can't this wait?" Victor asked angrily.  
Phoebe moved over to hug her father, who was struggling to hold it all together. Joyce was standing in the doorway and Buffy noticed. "Mommy…." They embraced tightly, both of them fighting off the overwhelming emotions.

"Somebody should get Piper." Phoebe said. "It's time to go."

***************  
"The funeral was brutal." Buffy said. "I didn't know if I could make it through."

"Everyone thought that we were sisters." Phoebe said.

"That was the only upside of it all." 

A beautiful ivory-colored coffin sat on a pedestal amongst the flowers. An ivory-dressed, Wiccan Priestess stood before a blue silk covered altar table, which was adorned with a ceremonial chalice. A tied, silver cord lay before the chalice, three lit candles surrounding it, symbolizing birth, death, and the rebirth. To the unaware mourners, the service came across part traditional, part New Age. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, Cole, Darryl, Joyce, and Victor were seated close to the priestess. Piper and Phoebe dabbed at their eyes and Cole kept his eyes peeled for any trouble. Buffy just stared at the floor and fought the tears that threatened to fall. The funeral program, which bared the symbol of the triquetra above the name, read: _PRUDENCE HALLIWELL, 1970-2001; "Forever in our Hearts."_

"That which belongs to fellowship and love." The Priestess intoned. "That which belongs to the circle, remains with us. The wheel turns. As life is a day, so our sister has passed into night. Nothing is final, and we who remain behind know that one day, we will once again share the bread and wine with our sister. O' blessed spirit, we bid you farewell, for you await a new destiny."  
With that, she untied the silver cord and gently laid it into the chalice. She blew out the candles. Mourners stood and shook hands, crying. Darryl went over to Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe to hug them and people began to pay their respects. Phoebe thanked another mourner, then turned to the last of them, whom she didn't recognize.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." The girl said.

"Thank you." Phoebe said. "How did you know Prue? From work?"

"No. Just…. Just from around, you know."

"Have we met before?"

"No. I don't…. I don't think so. Anyway, my condolences."

"Thank you." Phoebe shook the girl's hand then got hit with a powerful premonition. The girl was on a skyscraper rooftop helipad. She screamed as she squeezed her eyes shut in fear as the demon Shax gestured and sent a concessive blast toward her to kill her. Phoebe stumbled to the floor after her premonition ended.

"Phoebe….." Buffy went to help her up. Piper, Leo, Victor, and Cole rushed over to her.

"Are you all right?" Piper asked.

"I saw him…. The demon that killed Prue." Phoebe said.

"Shax? What was he doing?" Leo asked.

"He was killing that girl."

"What girl?" Buffy asked.

"The one I was just talking to. We've gotta go find her…."

Two bounty hunters suddenly materialized on either side of Cole and immediately fired lightning bolts at him. Cole dove, just barely avoiding the bolts, which blew up the altar. Leo pulled Piper behind a pillar for safety. Victor looked on in disbelief. Buffy grabbed her mother and pushed her behind another pillar. Cole rolled, coming up firing, vanquishing Bounty Hunter #2, but Bounty Hunter #3 appeared. Before he could kill Cole, though, Buffy ran up and knocked him to the ground with a roundhouse kick.

"Stop it." Piper said. Bounty Hunter #3 spun to fire at Buffy, but Cole fired an energy ball at the Bounty Hunter, blowing him up in a shower of fiery sparks. Piper let out an irritated, angry yell. "Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Damn it! This is Prue's funeral, for God's sake! Can't we at least bury her in peace? Is that too much to ask?" She knocked over a vase of flowers and stormed out in tears. 

Phoebe slowly worked her way through the mourners, who were drinking coffee, eating cold cuts, and sharing stories. She gave a woman a plate as Buffy met up with her and they made their way to Cole and Leo.

"I don't see her anywhere." Phoebe said.

"Who?" Buffy asked.

"The girl from my premonition." A passing mourner, overhearing that, quietly reacted.

Leo, seeing that, pulled Phoebe to the main stairs, where they could have some privacy. "Phoebe, you gotta be more careful."

"I'm sorry."

"You sure don't recognize her from anywhere?" Cole asked.

"Well, she did look familiar like I've seen her somewhere before. But somehow, we got to find her before nightfall, or else…." Phoebe slid a flower vase over an inch, then back again.

Cole gently grabbed her arm with a concerned look. "Honey, what're you doing?"

"Uh, I'm cleaning."

"You don't clean. You hate cleaning." Buffy said.

"I know…. but it's better than falling apart, isn't it?"

"Maybe you should just try and focus on the girl." Leo said. "You said she was attacked on a rooftop?"

"Yeah. One with a heli-pad…. But it was a tall building, although, there were a lot of taller ones around it."

"Ok, so we just need to figure out which building it was before Shax does."

Piper walked up to them. "And do what exactly? You can't defeat Shax, not without the Power of Three."

"But you and Prue did." Phoebe said.

"That's because Prue was the strongest. Trying to do it without her would be suicide."

"Maybe so, but I got that premonition for a reason, Piper. That girl is our innocent, so we have to try and save her."

"Says who? Why do we have to?"

"Piper…." Leo said.

"What? Do you really expect us to keep doing this stuff after what happened? To keep risking our lives? Do they?"

"Piper, keep your voice down….."

"No, Leo, I won't. I don't want to do this anymore, ok? It's over! You can tell them that we buried their precious Charmed Ones when we buried our sister." Piper spun and stalked up the stairs.

Leo started to follow, but Buffy stopped him. "No, leave her be. She needs to be alone. Look, I don't know where we go from here, but I do know that I can't let that girl die…. Especially not by the same demon that killed Prue."

"The question remains, how are you going to stop Shax without the Power of Three to say the vanquishing spell?" Cole asked.

Buffy shook her head. "He's a demon. I'm a Slayer. I'll do what I was born to do and kill this son of a bitch one way or another. You guys interested?"

"Why not? It's better sitting around waiting for the next bounty hunter to attack."  
Buffy looked at Phoebe, who nodded, and then walked over to Victor and Joyce. "Mom, Uncle Victor…. We have to go. Will you be ok?"

"Go where?" Joyce asked.

"Trust me, you don't want to know." Cole said. Before Joyce or Victor could react, they turned to see Darryl entering and approaching with a man wearing a coat and tie, self-made and eyes never missing a trick.

"Buffy. Victor. Joyce. Sorry about this, but Inspector Cortez insisted on meeting today…." Darryl said.

"I just wanted to extend my deepest sympathies." Cortez said.

"Thank you." Phoebe said.

"Thanks." Buffy said.

"I'll get the car." Cole stepped out of the Manor.

"Where's Piper?" Darryl asked.

"Upstairs. She's not feeling well." Phoebe said.

"Understandable." Cortez said. "I lost a sister once myself, I know how hard it is. We're going to find the monster who did this to your sister, Ms. Halliwell. I promise you this." Buffy, Phoebe, and Darryl exchanged a look and Cortez noticed. "Something I said?"

"No, uh, it's just the word, monster." Buffy said.

"Well that's what he was…. How else do you describe somebody so vicious? We have to stop before he strikes again."

"I couldn't agree more. If you'll excuse us, Inspector…."

"I know what a difficult time this is for your family, but we really need to talk."

"But not now." Joyce said with a warning note to her voice.

"Of course. Sorry."

****************  
"Stupid jerk." Buffy said. "I got the weirdest feeling about him."

"Really?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. Like he knew something was up, but he couldn't quite figure out what. It was in his beady little eyes."

"You've always been a good judge of character." Angel said, kissing her hair. Buffy smiled at him.


	21. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Buffy was asleep on a chair while Phoebe watched the heli-pad across the way. Cole covered Buffy up gently and walked over to Phoebe with a thermostat cup of coffee. "Here."  
Phoebe lowered the binoculars and turned to take the cup. "Oh, thanks. I think this is the right place. But maybe we should try one of the other rooftops just to make sure."

"Or maybe we should follow your first instincts and stay right here."

"Ok. But, what if I'm wrong? That girl will get killed."

"You can't save every innocent, Phoebe, or stop every demon."

"Yeah. Well, I have to stop this one. I just hope that by me saying the vanquishing spell, it wounds him enough that you can take him out."

"I got a better idea. How about you and me go someplace? You know? Drop off the face of the earth together, disappear?"

"Hmm. Don't tempt me." Phoebe glanced at Buffy. "Besides, I'm not leaving her."

"Things have changed, Phoebe. We can't pretend we can go on like this. It's only a matter of time before The Source finds me, which means every minute you're with me, you're in danger."

"I've lost too much already Cole. I'm not losing you, too." Phoebe held his look. He wasn't going anywhere. Then, he kissed her and looked up past her, squinting.

"Ooh, looks like your instincts were right."

"We've gotta shimmer over there!"

"And tell her what? That a demon's gonna attack? I think we should stay right here." They waited as the girl, oblivious to the looming danger, lead a reluctant guy to the center of the heli-pad. She let go of his hand, then spun around, arms out wide, looking up at the stars. She took off her jacket slightly and the guy kissed her. Meanwhile, Phoebe lowered the binoculars and turned away. Cole was still looking.

"All right, any ideas?" Phoebe asked.

"A couple."

Phoebe smacked him. "I meant about what we do now. I mean, we can't just keep watching, it's not right."

Cole took the binoculars from Phoebe. "You're right. We shouldn't just keep watching." Phoebe blocked his view. "Ok, very good."

A moving tornado materialized out of thin air and raced toward the unsuspecting lovers. The demon, Shax, appeared and fired a concussive blast. Buffy heard the commotion from all the way across the buildings and shot up out of the chair. "What's going on? Where is he?"

Phoebe pointed. The blast made the guy go flying backwards, knocking him out. The girl screamed as Shax threw another concussive blast at her. She screamed and orbed out and back, realizing that she was still alive, somehow. She turned the other way and ran to the roof access tower. Shax, surprised at her ability to orb, turned back into a tornado and followed.

"She orbed! She orbed…. Did you just see that?" Phoebe asked.

"Come on!" Cole grabbed her and Buffy and shimmered out with them.

The girl was running for her life, scampering down the stairs onto the catwalk then stopping as she heard the ominous sound of the tornado approaching. She slowly turned to see Shax standing there. But before he could throw another concussive blast, he stopped as he saw Cole, Buffy, and Phoebe shimmer in.  
The girl turned, just in time to see the tail end of the shimmer, shocked. "What the hell?"

"Get outta here! Hurry! Go! Go!" Buffy said. Cole fired an energy ball at Shax, but it barely fazed him. He fired another one as the girl, freaked, took off running up the stairs. "Say the spell, Phoebe!"

"Evil wind that blows, that which forms below. No longer may you dwell. Death takes you with this spell." Phoebe chanted. Shax, though, managed to get off a concussive blast at Cole, which knocked him over the stairway rail just as Shax, in agony, turned into a ghostly wind and streaked away from the scene. Phoebe, panic-stricken, ran to the edge. Cole plummeted five stories, but just before he pancaked, he recovered enough to shimmer out. "Cole!" Cole shimmered next to Phoebe, who gasped and emotionally hugged him, afraid she almost lost him. "That was too close…."

"It's ok, I'm all right. I just don't know about your innocent." Cole said.

******************  
"Are you sure she orbed? Are you sure that it wasn't something else?" Leo asked. They were all standing in the kitchen.

"Leo, she disappeared." Phoebe said.

"Bright white, shiny thingies came and then she reappeared." Buffy said.

"What else could it be?"

"It just doesn't make any sense." Leo said.

"Why not?" Cole asked.

"Because why would Shax want to kill a White-lighter?"

"Maybe he doesn't know she's a white-lighter."

"Right, the Source sends out his personal assassin, but doesn't know who he's after?" Leo said just before Piper clattered the pots that she was washing, noticeably.

"Is it possible that she didn't know that she was a white-lighter?" Buffy asked.

"No. Why?"

"Because she acted as if she didn't." Cole said. "She acted just as surprised as we were when she orbed out."

"Well that doesn't make any sense either."

"Ok, why don't you go up and ask the Elders what does make sense so we don't go risking our lives again?"

"I'll be right back." Leo orbed out.

Phoebe covered her eyes and Cole said, "Maybe I should, uh, go to the other side and see what I can find out."

"No." Phoebe said.

"I'll be careful. Nobody'll see me. Besides, it could be good to me to go back down, confused any bounty hunters that might be trying to track me. Don't worry. I won't disappear." Cole kissed Phoebe on the cheek and shimmered out.

Piper was hunched over the sink and Phoebe moved closer to her sister. "Hey, you ok?"

"Yeah. Sure, why not?" Piper said. "We could have a couple more funerals tomorrow. I mean, all the dishes are out and we pretty much know who to invite."

"Piper…." Buffy walked over to her cousins.

"Just tell me one thing. Are you both insane or are you just plain stupid? We bury Prue this morning and you two go off tonight and nearly join her. What the hell is the matter with you?"

"We were trying to save an innocent." Phoebe said.

"No. You were trying to get yourselves killed, which is what this family does best is get killed." Piper threw the towel onto a counter in frustration and anger. "Isn't it obvious by now that our only destiny is to die? And you two are making it way too easy for them. You're just walking right into it!"  
Buffy looked at Phoebe and then hugged Piper tightly. "I am so sorry."

"I cannot handle anything right now, and I certainly cannot handle losing any more sisters."  
Buffy scrunched up her face in confusion and said, "You consider me your sister?"  
Piper lightly smacked Buffy's arm. "Buffy Anne Summers! Of course I do! I held you when you were first born. I've been there for everything! I…."

"Ha! Got ya!" Buffy smiled brightly and Piper had to smile at her.

Buffy and Phoebe sat next to the fireplace in the living room. Piper walked toward them and handed each of them a teacup. "Here, this should help. It's chamomile. I had three cups."

"Thanks." Buffy said. She took a sip and set it aside.

Phoebe looked around. "Doesn't seem real, does it?"

"No."

"What are we gonna do with all of her stuff?" Piper asked. "What are we going to do with her car?"

"I don't know. Sell it, I guess." Phoebe said.

"Unless you want it."

"No. We're gonna get through this, you know. We just have to stick together." Leo orbed into the room. "Well?"

"Well, they don't know anything about her, so she's definitely not a whitelighter." Leo said.

"Then why can she orb, Leo?" Buffy asked.

"They can't explain it."

"Then how is it possible that they don't kn…." Cole shimmered into the room, interrupting Phoebe.

"Whew. Sorry I took so long. I had to dodge a couple of bounty hunters." Cole said.

"Did you find anything out?" Leo asked.

"You have no idea what I found out. Turns out the Source doesn't think she's a whitelighter at all. In fact, he thinks she might be another…. Charmed One. That's why he put Shax on it. He thought he ended the Power of Three. Now he's worried that this girl may somehow reconstitute it."

"No, but that's not possible. Is that possible?" Buffy asked. Leo shrugged and Piper began to take off. "Piper?"

"Piper?" Cole called. The others followed her. Piper went to the attic and straight to the Book.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm going to ask Grams what's going on, actually." Piper said.

"Grams?" Buffy asked.

"Mm-hmm. Your destiny still awaits, she says. There's a reason for everything, she says. So, it's time to summon her transparent butt back here and find out exactly what that reason is."

"Ok, but what should…." Piper shot Buffy a look. "Ok."

"'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide!'" Piper let out a semi-satisfied sigh as Grams appeared in a bright light.

"Piper? Why are you calling?" Grams asked. "P-Phoebe, Buffy, wha-what's going on?"

"Grams, why does the Source think that the Charmed Ones can be reconstituted?"

"I don…. I don't know what you're talking about."

"You know what, Grams? You were a lousy liar when you were alive, and now as a ghost, you're worse."

"If you know something, Grams, you have to tell us. We deserve to know." Phoebe said.

"I can't. I'm sworn to secrecy."

"By who?" Buffy asked.

"By me." Patty appeared right next to Grams in a bright light. "By me."

"Mom?" Piper asked.

"It's true. You have a younger sister. We didn't tell anybody because we were afraid that there would be reprisals, afraid that, you girls would be denied your powers. Your birthright. It happened after your father and I were divorced, when Sam and I were together."

"Sam?" Cole asked.

"Her whitelighter." Leo said.

"Hmm. Apples don't fall far from the forbidden tree, I see."

"Shh! Go on." Piper said.

"Buffy wasn't even born yet and you two were both toddlers. You just thought Mommy got a little fat. You never knew I was pregnant." Patty said.

"I was the only one who knew." Grams said.

"And Sam, obviously."

"Right. Well, yes, of course."

"We wanted to keep the baby, of course. But mother…."

"Well, I-I knew it would be disastrous. You know, before you and Leo, Piper, it wasn't just forbidden. It was unthinkable for witches to be with whitelighters. I mean, let alone have children with them."

"So, that's why we had to-why we decided…. To give the baby up. Sam and I took her to a local church as soon as she was born. And we asked the nun there to find a home for her, and she found one. A very, very good home."

"Yes."

"Explains why the Elders didn't know about her." Leo said.

"All right, hold it. Wait just one minute." Phoebe said. "Are you telling me, that that girl, our innocent, is really…. Our sister?"

"Your baby sister." Patty said.

"Their baby half-sister." Grams corrected.

"But by my half, which makes her a sister witch. Well, actually, not yet anyway. Not until all three of you are here together by the Book. Just like before."

"Charmed. Again."

"And I thought my family was screwed up." Piper gave Cole a look.

Cortez walked into the attic, seeing the two ghosts there. Everyone was a bit stunned so they didn't move. Darryl walked in right behind Cortez. "Well, I'll be damned."

"Darryl, do something!" Buffy said.

"He's a cop, Buffy. And he's got a search warrant." Darryl said.

"And believe me, I've found what I've been searching for." Cortez said. Cole moved slightly towards Cortez. He aimed his gun at him. "Ah-ah-ah-ah. Don't move. I'll shoot."

"Then so will I." Cole warned.

"Cole…." Leo said.

"Ok Inspector, just put the gun down." Phoebe said. "There is a very good explanation for all of this. Feel free to chime in anytime, guys."

"My whole life, I suspected evil magic was real, that there was something more." Cortez said. "I've seen too many horrible things in the job to suspect otherwise, not the least of which are the two murders that happened here."

"Wait. Are you accusing us?" Piper asked.

"I've just begun to accuse you, lady!"

"All right, fine. You caught us. Congratulations." Grams said. "So what are you gonna do about it? Shoot us?"

"Easy, Grams. Not all of us are dead, remember?" Buffy said.

"All right, look, you can't arrest us, especially not them. Nobody will ever believe you." Leo said.

"Maybe not at first." Cortez said. 'I'm putting this whole place under constant surveillance. I'm taping your every move. Sooner or later, I'll catch you doing something uh, supernatural, and then…."

Darryl knocked Cortez out with the but of his gun. "I think you've been through enough today, huh?"

"Thank you." Piper said.

"Darryl, go, get out of here. We don't want you to take the fall for this." Phoebe said.

"No, it's ok." Darryl said.

"No, it's not. This is our problem. He wants to expose us, not you. Let us take care of this, please?"

"If you need me, you know where to find me, huh?" Phoebe nodded and turned to Cole as Darryl left the Manor.

"It doesn't solve your problem. He's gonna wake up eventually. You've just bought yourself some time." Cole said.

"What you're gonna need, especially if you're wanna save your…." Leo said.

"Sister?" Phoebe finished.

"Well, what are you waiting for? Just write a spell. Get rid of him." Grams said.

"Uh, get rid of him?"

"Well, you know what I mean. Dump him somewhere. Anywhere. With all the witches in this room, we ought to be able to do something with him. I mean, just start rhyming. Uh, take him back, take him away. Remove him now. Don't let him stay."

"Oh. Uh. We call the spirits to help undo and send him off to…. Timbuktu." Cortez vanished from the floor. "Whoa. It worked."

"Timbuktu? You sent him to Timbuktu?" Buffy asked.

"All right, well, it was the only thing I could think of that rhymed with undo."

"Don't worry. Uh, I'll find him." Cole shimmered out.

"Ok, well this is way too much for me to handle. Way too much." Piper said.

"Nobody can blame you for being angry, sweetie." Patty said.

"Angry? Yeah, I'm angry. Um, I'm confused and you know what? This-this is just crazy. You cannot float in here after all these years and go, 'Oh gosh, I forgot, by the way, you've got a sister.' Especially not today of all days."

"I know it's a lot, sweetie. More than anybody should have to deal with, but you're going to have to deal with it the best way you know how. Losing Prue, learning about another sister…. This is your path. This is your destiny. Get angry at it, cry about it, but don't fight it. Or it'll consume you."

"Come on, Patty. The rest is up to them." Grams said. She and Patty disappeared.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Leo headed downstairs. Leo closed his eyes for a second and said, "I can't sense where she is because she's technically not a witch yet."

"All right, so all we have to go on is that church that Mom mentioned and the nun." Phoebe said.

"Ok, let's get one thing straight. I am only doing this to save her. I'm not remotely interested in reconstituting…. The Charmed Ones." Piper was cut off to find the girl, their sister, waiting for them. The door was left open.

"I…. The door was open. I'm sorry. I shouldn't be here." She turned to leave but Phoebe stopped her.

"No, no, no, no, no. We were just coming to look for you." Phoebe said.

"You were?"

"Yep. Come on in. Welcome. I'm Phoebe." Phoebe hooked her arm into the girl's and walked over to Buffy, Piper, and Leo. "And this is Piper."

"I know. I've been to your club. Pretty great."

"Thank you." Piper said.

"I'm Buffy. And you are?" Buffy asked.

"Paige. My name is Paige."

"Hmm. Another P. Imagine that." Piper said.

"It's nice to meet you." Paige shook Piper's hand. A bright blue shined over the girls. "Ok. What was that?"

"I think that means you're supposed to be here." Buffy said, smiling up at Leo.  
Suddenly the door slammed open and a strong wind knocked Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige backwards. Leo was knocked down on the stairs. Shax materialized and walked closer. He was about to strike when Leo jumped on his back. "Run! Get upstairs!"

"Leo?" Piper, Phoebe, and Paige ran upstairs. Shax threw Leo off his back and Leo was knocked out. Shax then looked upstairs.

"Gray is so out." Buffy said, kicking Shax in the small of the back. He turned and threw a energy ball, but the Slayer ducked and kicked Shax again. "Maybe you should try a summer color." She jumped and kicked Shax back into a wall with both feet, running up his body, kicking his head, and then flipping to a standing position. "Wow! How cool was that?" Shax threw an energy ball at her again and she ducked, but he threw another that connected painfully with her arm. She fell to the ground with a scream and pulled her arm tightly to her chest as Shax ran up the stairs.

***************  
"Shax broke your arm?" Angel asked.

"Pretty much." Buffy said. "But he was vanquished and Leo healed me as soon as he woke up."

"But you lost Paige."

"We didn't lose her." Phoebe said.

"Not exactly." Buffy said.

"She just ran out."

"But we knew where to look."


	22. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Piper retrieved an ice pack from the freezer and placed it gently on Leo's neck as he healed Buffy's broken arm. "I don't understand how you can keep healing innocents, but you can't figure out a way to heal yourself." Buffy said, hissing slightly as she felt the bone move back into place.

"It's kind of hard to heal myself when I'm knocked out." Leo said.

"Ok, how is it possible for an angel to even get knocked out? I mean, you are, after all, technically dead."

"Six years together, and now you're asking these questions?"

Buffy shrugged with her good arm. "Well…."

"I think the more appropriate question is, how does a white-lighter get somebody knocked up?" Piper asked. Phoebe and Buffy giggled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Leo asked.

"What do you think it means?"

"If it's about Paige, I swear, the Elders had no idea that she even existed, or that she was your sister."

"Sister witch." Phoebe said.

"Half-witch, half-whitelighter. Let's not forget that little surprise." Piper said. "I still can't believe that Mom kept that secret from us."

"Well, it sounded like she didn't have much of a choice." Buffy said.

"Phoebe and I are her daughters. She could've found a way to share that information with us." The doorbell rang. "That better not be another long-lost relative." She went to answer the door. Buffy, Phoebe, and Leo followed. Piper greeted Darryl at the door and let him in.

"Hi Piper." Darryl said.

"Hi there." Piper closed the door.

Darryl looked around. "Where's Cortez?"

"Who?" Leo asked.

"Inspector Cortez…. The one I hit over the head, the one you said you would take care of. He's missing. Police inspectors are not supposed to be missing. Where is he?"

"Well, I kind of sent him to…." Phoebe started.

"Timbuktu. It rhymed with undo." Buffy said with a smile.

"Timbuktu." Darryl said.

"It's ok. Cole went to get him." Leo said.

"Cole?"

Cole shimmered into the manor by the stairs. "Cole!" Phoebe said.

"Wait." He got an energy ball ready and a bounty hunter appeared suddenly and struck. The bolt of blue lightning missed Cole barely and Cole killed the bounty hunter with his energy ball. He stood up. "Damn bounty hunters…. They're like gnats."

"Where's the inspector?" Darryl asked.

"Don't worry. I found him. Moved him to a place he can't tell a soul what he saw. Literally."

"What do you mean? Where'd you put him?" Leo asked. Cole gestured below him.

"In the basement?" Phoebe asked.

"No. I think he means a little bit further down than that." Buffy said.

"Oh."

"Cole, he's a cop. He's one of the good guys." Leo said.

"He's also the one who can expose them as witches. I think that you, above anybody, would want to avoid that at all costs." Cole said.

"Not at that cost. We have to save him."

"Save him? What do you mean, save him? Wh-what's going on?" Darryl asked.

"You know what, Darryl? We are going to take care of this whole mess." Phoebe said.

"Wait a second. Hold…."

"You don't worry about it." Phoebe escorted Darryl out the door and then joined the others.

"Ok. Maybe you can talk to the Inspector, reason with him." Piper said.

"And what if he can't?" Cole asked. "What if you two get exposed and that in turn exposes Buffy as the Slayer? What's to say the same thing won't happen to you that happened to Prue?"

"Well it's a risk we'll have to take." Phoebe said.

"Yeah well, you know what? There's another risk you guys have to worry about. On the way back, I heard gargoyles."

"Gargoyles? You mean like statues?" Buffy asked.

"That's only in they're in their resting state. They come alive to ward off evil. In this case, I think they're trying to ward off the Source. I think he's surfaced."

"Wait! What?" Phoebe asked. "He's here? Now? Where?"

"I don't know. Could be anywhere. Or anyone."

"Probably came for Paige, but she doesn't stand a chance against him. She doesn't even know what her power is yet." Leo said.

"Leo, we don't stand a chance against him. Not without Prue." Phoebe said.

"But you might with Paige…. the new Power of Three."

"Can you sense her?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think so. She's too new."

"Well then we just have to start with the church Aunt Patty was talking about."

"Buffy…."

"What?"

"I'm with Buffy." Phoebe said. "I'm not crazy about it, but we can't just do anything about it now. Mom wouldn't want us to…."

"And neither would Prue."

"Buffy's right. Let's get to work."

***************  
Piper was holding the Yellow Pages and looked into Phoebe's room where Buffy was supposed to be. "Buffy, I think I found…." Buffy wasn't there. "The church. Buffy?" She looked into Prue's old room to find Buffy standing there, facing the window. Piper set down the phone book and walked up to her. "What are you doing in here?"

Buffy turned around, her face streaked with tears and her sobs had made it to the hiccupping stage. "She was the only one I felt I could talk to through everything. When I killed Angel…. It was awful. She never stopped looking for me when I ran away to LA…." Buffy sniffed loudly. "And when I decided to come back…. She was right there waiting to help me through like she wasn't royally pissed at me for running away in the first place." Buffy sobbed and sat down on a red sofa. Piper came over and sat beside her, pulling Buffy to her and embracing her tightly. "I miss her so much."

"I know. Me, too. I was wondering when you were gonna let go."

"I was just…. I was trying to…." Piper handed her a tissue. "Thanks. To stay strong, you know, keep it together for you and Phoebe because I'm supposed to be the strong one, you know, and…. Then I put all my energy into trying to save…. Paige because I figured only one of us could break down at a time. Otherwise, we'd all be useless. I'm scared, Piper. I'm really, really scared. She always took the lead. She was…. She was like my big sister…. She WAS my big sister. How are we supposed to go on without her? How are we supposed to go up against the Source without her?"

"I don't know. But I do know that we can't let the bastard get Paige either, so, no matter what we think or feel, she is our sister…. _Our_ sister. And families protect each other."

***************  
"When you ran away…. Didn't Leo know where you were?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. He's my whitelighter. Of course he did, but Phoebe, Prue, and Piper weren't the Charmed Ones yet. They didn't even know Leo."

"How did you hide being the Slayer all those years before?"

"Same way I hid it from mom and dad. Grams knew though."

"How did Grams know?"

"She's Grams. Grams knows everything supernatural with her family."

"What did you tell Prue?"

"About you dying?" Angel nodded. "I told her that you had died."

"We all wondered about why you still cared about him after the way he'd treated you." Phoebe said. "Then we found out you were the Slayer and he was a vampire with a soul and sleeping with you set off his trigger because he loves you so much and that's why he was such a royal prick to you."

"Exactly." Buffy said.

"And how exactly did you guys find out about Buffy?" Angel asked Phoebe.

"That's a story for another day." Phoebe said.

"We've got to finish this one." Buffy added.

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe walked into the nun's office and found Paige standing with a nun. The woman looked past Paige and said, "Yes, may I help…."

"Hi." Piper froze the nun and looked at Paige. "Hey, what's up? We need to get you out of here."

"What did you do to her?" Paige asked.

"Oh, she just froze her. She'll be fine." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. Lucky I didn't blow her up. My powers have been a little off lately." Piper said.

"Piper." Phoebe pointed at the blanket Paige was holding.

"Is that our blanket?" Piper tried to touch it, but Paige pulled it away.

"No! That's mine! Leave me alone!" Paige turned to leave.

"All right! Gee." Piper, Buffy, and Phoebe followed Paige.

"Paige." Buffy called.

"Stop or I'll freeze."

Paige stopped and turned. Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper stopped as well. "She's a witch. You can't freeze her." Phoebe said.

"She doesn't know that."

"Will you please just leave me alone?" Paige asked.

"Look, we know what you're going through. We went through the same thing when we first found out we were witches, too." Phoebe said.

"Look. You just gotta trust us." Piper said. "Somebody very, very bad is after you."

Paige stopped and turned around. "Trust you? You just froze a nun. How do I know you're not the bad ones?"

"Well if we are, then you are, sister."

"Piper." Phoebe said.

"What? Fine. Then you try."

"You have a magical power, you know." Paige stops and turned. "Mmm. At least, if you're really a Charmed One, you do. And the sooner you learn it, the sooner you'll be able to protect yourself."

"I have a power?"

"According to the prophecy, the third sister has the power to move things with her mind. Like Prue could." Buffy said.

"How does it work?"

"You concentrate on an object like that candle right there." Phoebe pointed at the candle a few feet away. "And then you just wave your arm at it." Paige tried it, but nothing happened. She looked to Piper and Phoebe.

"Or, uh, you could squint your eyes. She used to squint her eyes." Piper said.

Paige waved her hand at the candle and squinted but nothing happened to the candle. She turned back to the others. "Well, maybe I'm not one of you after all if I can't even make that candle…." Paige raised her hand in the candle's direction. The candle was surrounded by blue and white lights and disappeared and reappeared in Paige's outstretched hand. Paige handed the candle slowly to Phoebe. "Oh."

"So perhaps the whitelighter in her makes it work differently?" Buffy asked.

"Half-breed." Piper said.  
There was a noise outside. "What is that?" Paige asked.

"I don't know." Phoebe said.  
The doors opened and a relatively cute guy was there. "Paige…."

"Shane?" Paige rushed to help him. "What's the matter? My god, what happened?"

"I don't know. Someone's after me."  
Buffy had a feeling that Shane wasn't really Shane. "Paige!"

"Come on. Let's get out of here." Paige said.

"Paige! Come back!" The Source in Shane's body turned and fired a red bolt at Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe. They went flying backwards, sliding their way to the inside of the front of the church.

"What the hell was that?" Piper asked.

"Good question." Sister Agnes said. 

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe were sitting on the couch in the conservatory. Cole and Leo were pacing in front of them with their arms folded. "So the Source was there, at the church?" Leo asked.

"Well, the gargoyles weren't exactly whistling Dixie, Leo." Buffy said.

"Plus, something pretty powerful knocked us on our asses." Piper said.

"But if he was there, why didn't he try to kill Paige?" Cole asked.

"Maybe he didn't want to go up against the Charmed Ones." Phoebe said.

"No, that doesn't make sense. He knows that Paige is new to her powers. If ever there was a time to attack…."

"Wait a minute." Leo said. "What if he's not trying to kill her anymore? What if he's trying to lure her to his side?"

"Translation please?" Buffy asked.

"The mythological window." Cole said.

"There's a window of opportunity, an opening." Leo said.

"48 hours."

"Right, 48 hours where a nascent witch who hasn't chosen to use her powers for good or evil yet can be swayed either way."

"Wait, so all he has to do is cast a spell on her?" Phoebe asked.

"No, he can't." Cole said. "It has to be her choice, but he can tempt her, entice her. If he gets her to use her powers for evil…."

"She becomes evil forever." Leo finished.

"Who makes up these cockamamie rules?" Piper asked. Cole looked down and Leo looked up. "Oh, never mind…."

"Ok, so we have less than 24 hours to get to Paige and no idea how to find her." Buffy said.

"But I bet the Source does."

"Ok…. Let's go upstairs and see what we can use." Phoebe said.

*****************  
Cole and Buffy were looking out the attic windows at Cortez, who was leaning against his car parked outside the Manor. Phoebe, Piper, and Leo were at the Book of Shadows. "Are you sure you don't want me to turn Belthazor loose on Cortez just for a minute or two?" Cole asked.

"No. He doesn't have anything on the girls yet." Leo said. "Besides, now is no time to be blurring the line between good and evil."

Phoebe closed the book. "This is useless. We're never gonna find Paige without a little help." The book opened on its own and flipped through the pages. It stopped on one page. "Works every time. Ok, an enchantment spell. Wait. How is this gonna help find her?"

"Well, maybe it's not to find Paige." Buffy said. "Maybe it's so we can ID the Source."

"She's right." Piper said. "See the last line? It's, 'So she can reveal the evil within.'"

"But that'll only help if we can find him." Phoebe said.

"Maybe we can, or at least, maybe you can." Leo said to Cole.

"What does he mean?"

"Demons can sense the Source's aura." Cole said. "It's how he reminds us of his power, his reach. Maybe if I focus on it…."

"Then he'll know you're doing it. And he'll find you."

"Not if I was careful. It's your only chance at saving your sister."

"Ok. So we need something to enchant." Piper said.

"Right, um….." Phoebe spotted something. "Oh!" She went over to a shelf and found a pair of pink kiddy sunglasses. "How about these?"

"Hey! I've been looking for those since I was seven." Buffy said, grabbing the sunglasses.

"Well, they're perfect." Phoebe snatched them back.

"Oh great." Piper said. She and Phoebe both held either side of the sunglasses and chanted, "'Magic forces far and wide, Enchant these so those can't hide, Allow this witch to use therein, So she can reveal the evil within.'" The glass's lenses' glowed and Piper sighed. "Ok. Better test 'em." Phoebe put the glasses on. She giggled a little as she looked at Leo.

"Well?" He asked.

"Nothing. You look the same." Phoebe said.

"How about me?" Cole asked. Phoebe looked at him and let out a little scream. "What? What do I look like?"

"You look like hell." Phoebe took off the glasses. "Enchanting." Cole smiled. "Thanks for the magical assist Grams."

"How do you know it wasn't somebody else?" Buffy asked.


	23. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Piper pulled up in the parking lot of social services in her jeep with Buffy, Phoebe, Cole, and Leo in it. They all got out and looked around. "I don't see Paige anywhere." Phoebe said.

"Are you sure this is the right place, Cole?" Buffy asked.

"The Source is here. I can sense him." Cole said.

"Wait. There she is." Leo said. Phoebe put on the sunglasses and saw a black aura around Paige.

"What is she doing?" Piper asked.

"I don't know, but she's got a black aura around her." Phoebe said.

"The Source?" Buffy asked.

"No. It can't be." Cole said. "If Phoebe saw my demonic self, then she'd see his too."

"Yeah. Well, whatever it is, it's not good." Phoebe said. "Come on." They ran towards Paige as a small crowd gathered around.

"Jake! Jake! No." A lady cried.

Phoebe got to Paige first. "Paige? Paige? It's me, Phoebe. And Piper and Buffy."

"He's evil. He's hurting his child." Paige said.

"No. You're being seduced into doing this."

"All right. You know what?" Piper said. "Hi." She pushed Paige's hand down. "Leo, take her. Go home. Go, go, go, go." Leo orbed out with Paige. "And let's get the hell out of here before any cops show up."

"You three go ahead." Cole said. "I'm going to stay behind. Make sure the Source doesn't follow you." He and Phoebe kissed and they drove off to the Manor.  
When they got there, Piper was the first to enter. "Leo, where's…." As they entered the hall, a knife was thrown towards Piper's head and Buffy grabbed the knife out of mid-air before it could hurt anyone.

"I'm having a hard time convincing her that she is not evil!" Leo said.

"I see that." Buffy said.

"Lamp!" Paige yelled. It disappeared in white orbs and reappeared. She telekinetically threw it toward Piper and Phoebe, who ducked after they screamed. It smashed against the wall.

"Bright side? At least she's getting the hang of her new power." Phoebe said.

"That was Mom's crystal!" Piper tackled Paige to the ground.

Buffy walked over and held her down effortlessly. "Ok. Relax. Relax."

"All right. Now what?" Phoebe asked.

"We just better hope there's some Wiccan exorcism in the Book of Shadows cause…. Yeah." Piper went to the stairs, but stopped when the lights flickered off and on. Shane/the Source appeared by the corner of the stairs. "Who are you?" His eyes turned all black and he telekinetically threw Piper through the stairs banister.

"Piper!" Buffy and Leo yelled.

The Source threw an energy ball at Phoebe, but she levitated to avoid it and went to kick him and he disappeared, making her crash into the Grandfather clock. He appeared by the couch. Piper used her power to blow him up. Paige stood up and Leo helped Piper up. The Source reassembled and Phoebe grabbed the glasses and put them on. She saw the Source. "Oh, Piper! That's the…. That's the…." She took off the glasses and went to Piper. "Look! Look! Look! Look!"  
Piper pushed her hand away. "I know who that is."  
Buffy stood and kicked the Source in the head. "Not nice to pick on girls that are smaller than you." The Source went down to his knees and Buffy kicked him in the back, making his face hit the floor. "Someone might think you're a bully." She picked the Source up and threw him into the wall.

"Go Buffy!" Phoebe cheered.  
Buffy dodged an energy ball and dove into the Source. He expected it though and raised a shield. The Slayer hit the shield head first and went flying back straight through a window. Leo orbed out to get her and orbed back in carrying her in his arms. He laid her down on the couch and started healing her wounds.

The Source turned to Phoebe and Piper. "Your powers are strong, but will they be enough without the Power of Three."

"Shane, what's going on?" Paige asked.

"It's ok. I'm here now."

"Stay away from me."

"She still has free will. You can't force her to choose." Leo said.

"Oh, but she's already chosen, haven't you? Come with me." The Source said. "You'll be safe forever. I promise."

"Don't listen to him. He's lying." Piper said.

"They only want you for your power. You don't have to share it. It's yours." The Source turned into Mr. Cowan. "You've already seen what you can do with it. You do what nobody else can do." He turned into Carol. "You nearly saved my son from his father. From all the pain and suffering he's put him through." He turned into the little boy. "Please help me. Don't let him hurt me anymore. You're my only hope." Paige took his hand and started to go with him.

"No!" Phoebe yelled. The boy/the Source raised his hand, suspending Phoebe in mid-air and shocking her with electricity. "Help me!"

Paige pushed the boy/the Source down and Phoebe fell to the ground. Piper, Leo, and Paige went over to her to help her up. The clock chimed in the background.

"Phoebe?" Piper said. "Ok. Come on. Come on." The boy disappeared and the Source reposed Shane, who stood up. "I guess blood's a little thicker than evil." Piper said to him.  
The Source/Shane looked at the clock and went out of Shane, who fell to the ground, to reveal his true self. "I've broken the Charmed circle before. I'll do it again. Besides, it wasn't a complete loss. Thanks to Belthazor."

"What did you do to him?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh my God." Cortez said behind them. The Source, Leo, and the sisters turned to see Cortez standing near the front door with a video camera. He was amazed at what he saw.

"Inspector, would you get out of here?" Piper yelled. As Cortez reached for his gun, the Source fired an energy ball at him, knocking him on the coat rack. He screamed. He was impaled on a hanger. Cortez fell down, revealing blood on the hanger. The Source disappeared in a blast of fire. The others raced to Cortez. Leo kneeled down beside Cortez.

"Looks like evil wins again, huh?" Cortez asked.

"Not if I can help it." Leo healed him.

"How'd you do that?" Paige asked.

"That's what whitelighters do. We heal good people."

"We have to go find Cole." Phoebe said.

****************  
They found Cole lying on the ground, nearly dead near the South Bay Social Services. Phoebe ran over. "Cole!" She kneeled down beside him. "Oh no. No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no." She put his head in her lap.

Piper froze Cole. "Heal him."

"You know that it's against the rules." Leo said.

"Leo, screw the rules. The Elders owe us." Phoebe said.

"Even if I could, I could only heal his human half and that…. wouldn't be enough power to save him."

"Aren't I half whitelighter?" Paige asked. "I mean, couldn't I use my half to offset his half?"

"It's worth a try. Take my hand." Paige kneeled down beside Leo and did so. "Hold your other hand over his wound." Paige and Leo healed Cole. He unfroze and gasped for air. Phoebe hugged him, happy he was alive.

"That was good, right?"

"That was very good." Buffy said.

"Let's just hope it wasn't all for nothing." Piper said.

*****************  
The next night, everyone was gathered at P3. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, Leo, and Cole were sitting in their usual booth. Megan brought Cole and Leo their drinks. "Oh good, thank you." Cole said.

"Thanks, too. Feels good be here again." Leo said.

"Feels good to be anywhere again."

"I will drink to that." Phoebe said. They clinked their drinks. "Don't ever scare me like that again."

"Promise."

"You ok?" Leo asked Piper.

"I'm not sure." Piper said.

"Prue?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. We barely got through the funeral and then everything started to go crazy and we haven't had a chance to mourn yet. And that's just not right."

"I think we'll have the rest of our lives for that."

"I'm still not sure about continuing on with this destiny thing. I need sometime to think about it." Piper looked at Phoebe. "I hope you're ok with that."

"Absolutely." Phoebe said.

"And I hope you're ok with it too." Piper said to Leo.

"They may not be, but I am."  
Phoebe glanced at Buffy. "Hey…. Are you ok?"

"Me?" Buffy asked. "Just…. Thinking."

"About what?" Cole asked.

"Everything. Loosing Prue, lying to Angel…. It's all just now really starting to hit home."

"Well, you know we're always here." Piper said. "Prue may not be there to talk to, but I'm sure willing to listen to whatever you have to say."

"Me too." Phoebe said. "You're family."

"And speaking of…." Buffy said, glancing at Paige who had just walked up.

"So does this mean I get free drinks now?" Paige asked. Phoebe chuckled a little. "Oh, I didn't mean it like that. It's not that I really drink or…. Ok. I'm just gonna go." She began to leave, but Leo stood up and stopped her.

"No, Paige. You belong here, remember?" Leo said.

"You sure? I don't want to intrude."

"Mmm. Come on. Come sit right here." Phoebe said.  
Cole went over to stand next to Leo as Paige sat down next to Phoebe. "Ok, so, uh, maybe Leo and I should go uh…. Pretend like we've got something better to do."

"Good idea." Piper said.

"Yeah." Cole and Leo left.

"I won't stay long. I just wanted to, uh, come by and thank you." Paige said.

"For what?" Buffy asked.

"For what? You mean, beside from saving my life. I feel like I should bake you a cake or something."

"Do you cook?" Piper asked.

"No. No, not really."

"So how's Shane?" Phoebe asked.

"He's ok, I guess, except I'm not to sure he wants to see me anymore."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"No. Can't say I blame him. You know? He doesn't know exactly what happened to him, but he knows its something bad and he knows it's somehow connected to me."

"Yeah, well, you're not truly one of us until you've dated a demon, so, welcome to the club." Piper said.

"Can I ask you a question?" Phoebe asked.

"Hmm?" Paige said.

"Why did you come to Prue's funeral?" Buffy asked, knowing exactly what Phoebe was going to ask.

"You never even met her, right?"

"No." Paige said. "I never did. I don't want this to be taken the wrong way, but…. I just feel like a part of me lost her too and I just…. I felt drawn to her, to all you guys. I guess it was just a part of me trying to find out who I was."

"Come on. There's something we need to show you." Piper said.

"Show me what?"

"What good magic can do." Phoebe said.

**************  
Phoebe lit the last two candles in a circle and then joined Piper by the Book of Shadows as Paige watched. Buffy stood off to the side, allowing the girls to do their thing. "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide.'" Patty appeared in a bright light.

"There's someone here we thought you should meet." Phoebe said.

Patty looked at Paige. "Paige?"

"Mom?" Paige asked.  
Patty stepped outside the circle and became real. She hugged Paige, who smiled after the hug. "Welcome home." She hugged her again as Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe watched the tender moment.

"So there's how Paige came to be." Phoebe said.

"She's so different now." Angel said.

"Yeah. She's grown up and grown into her powers."

"Plus, she feels like part of the family." Buffy said. "That's always a real help."

"Wait…. I'm confused." Angel said.

"About what?"

"Well…. Prue dying and us getting back together."

"It was a long time after…. I was living in Sunnydale. We hadn't really made plans to move in together yet."

"You didn't say anything."

"I was in a lot of pain. I didn't even talk to Willow about it."

Angel glanced out the window. "The sun's coming up." Buffy yawned. "And I think someone needs sleep."

"Maybe…. Just a little."

"More than a little." Phoebe said. "Go. Go on! Off to bed with you."

"I'll see you later." Buffy called quietly as Angel escorted her upstairs.


	24. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Buffy and Phoebe roamed around the clothing store. They had decided to leave the maternity stores behind because Buffy was convinced they would all make her look like she was wearing a tent.

"I still can't believe this morning." Phoebe said.

"Me either." Buffy agreed. "He used magick to fix the sink. Isn't he supposed to be, you know, not messing with magick."

"I don't know."

"Hey, how was your date this morning?"

"Perfect."

"That's great. I'm glad you've found someone like Jason. He's a great guy."

"Come on. You're obviously not going to find anything here either. And I think Piper wants us to help her with the sink upstairs."

Just as they got outside, Paige orbed into the alley in front of them. "Psst!"

"Paige!" Phoebe and Buffy ran over. "You could've been exposed."

"Come on. Piper says a water lady talked to her."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"Just come on." Paige orbed them to….. a lake. Piper, who was already waiting there, explained to Buffy and Phoebe what she had seen.

"Ok, so water lady pops up from the sink. Are you sure she's not a demon?" Buffy asked.

"I'm sure she needed help." Piper said.

"What else did she say?" Phoebe asked.

"That was it. Pretty park, pond and poof." The pond started to bubble and a sword rose out of the water. "Over there."

A woman made of water, holding onto the sword, rose out of the water and floated over to land. She became solid and headed for the girls. A man wielding a dagger and shield and wearing a black cloak, shimmered in. "They're coming. Take this. It does not belong to them." The man threw a dagger at the woman and stabbed her. She fell and the sword flew over some trees. The girls ran over to the woman. Two demons wearing black masks and carrying battle axes shimmered in. A sword materialized in the man's hand. Phoebe and Buffy went over to the demons and started kicking and punching at their ribs and heads.

"Axe!" The axe orbed into Paige's hands and she hit the demon, vanquishing him. Phoebe got the axe of the other demon and hit him, vanquishing him too. The man approached Piper and the woman and Piper tried to blow him up. Phoebe and Paige ran over.

"I'm liking these odds." Buffy said.

The man shimmered out and they dropped the battle axes. "Wuss." Paige quipped.

"The sword. The sword is….." The woman turned to water.

"Where'd she go? What'd she say?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, she said something about the sword. Where is it?" Piper asked.

"It's in the stone." Paige said. They looked over and saw the sword sticking out of a large rock.

"The sword in the stone?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, you gotta be kidding me. Right?" Buffy asked.

Piper, Paige, Buffy, and Richard stood in the conservatory. Angel stood off in a doorway in the shadows. The sword in the stone was sitting in the middle of the room and Piper was sweeping around it. "Ok, could you maybe miss the table?" She asked.

"I'm sorry, I've never orbed anything that heavy before. Or that historic." Paige said.

The sword started to glow. "Do you see it glowing?" Richard asked.

"No, it's the sun room, there's a lot of light." Piper said.

"What part of this reality aren't you getting? Sword, stone, lady, lake?" Paige said.

"It was a pond."

"Do you think she's from Avalon?" Richard asked.

"Yeah, I think she was flushed out by whoever's after Excalibur. The maker of kings." Paige said.

"Look, we're not talking about Camelot, right? Because that's not real." Piper said.

"So you're saying you never believed in King Arthur and the knights of the round table?"

"Yes, I did, when I was seven, and then I grew up."

"Yeah, you grew up to be a witch that fights demons and silly looking dragons."

"That's different, that's real."

"And this isn't real?"

"What is real are those hooded freaks."

"They're not gonna give up now that the sword is in the open." Richard said.

"How do you know?" Piper asked.

"Whoever has Excalibur is unstoppable."

Phoebe walked in carrying the Book of Shadows. "Ok, there is definitely nothing in the book. Oh, hi. How ya doing?"

"Phoebe, please, put a stop to this nonsense." Piper said.

"Didn't realize you were still here."

"That's ok, you can talk freely in front of him." Paige said. "Lord knows, we've been through enough."

"No, not really."

"Phoebe." Piper warned.

"Look, I should probably go." Richard said.

"Don't be ridiculous, you're great." Phoebe said.

"Okay, anyway, book, Excalibur." Paige said.

"Yeah, nothin, nada."

"Really?"

"Told ya." Piper said.

"You know, hey, maybe it's been out of circulation since ye olden days, and maybe no Halliwell has come across it before." Paige suggested.

"Well, we have run across these guys. Executioner demons. Low-level bad asses for hire." Phoebe said.

"Who hired them?" Piper asked.

Phoebe turned to a page. "This higher-level bad ass."

Piper went over to look. "A power mad paladin of destruction."

"Maybe, you know, maybe we should just kind of hang out later." Paige said to Richard.

"Yeah, ok. Bye." Richard said.

"Bye." Piper said. Richard headed for the front door and Paige followed him. Piper turned back to the others. "So he's an upper level demon which means you should be able to make a vanquishing potion."

"Ok. Wait, me? Why me?" Phoebe asked.

"Because….. hello….. I have a few hundred things to do around here in addition to raising a small child."

"I know, you have so much to do, you're my hero. But I can't. I have to go to work. I still don't have an assistant and I'm swamped." Phoebe headed for the door.

"Phoebe." Paige walked in. "Paige! Potion?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, honey, the temp agency's already got me a new job." Paige said.

"But that hardly compares with….." Piper pointed to the sword.

"Come on, you know there's a magickal reason that I had every one of these jobs and who am I to interfere with destiny?"

"Ok, so you want me to add baby-sit the sword and mix vanquishing potion to my never ending 'to do' list?"

"Look, the sword is stuck in the stone. You know it, I know it, the bad guys know it. Nobody's going to get it out until King Arthur pulls it out and when that happens there'll be lots of fireworks."

"And when might that be?"

"How should I know? Maybe in a couple thousand years. Besides, Buffy and Angel are here. They can help you." Paige started to walk out then stopped. She turned around and walked over to the sword. She grabbed it and tried to pull it out. It wouldn't budge. "Well, you can't blame a girl for trying. See ya." She left, slamming the door behind her.

Piper looked at Buffy. "You're awfully quite. In fact, you both are."

"Just….. This is THE Excalibur!" Buffy said.

"Oh, not you too."

"It's real Piper." Angel said. "I've heard stories….. Legends ever since I was a little boy in Ireland. King Arthur was very real. And this was his sword." Angel touched the head of the hilt. "It radiates power."

"I have a house to clean!" Piper turned and marched out of the room.

Angel gave the sword a tug and Buffy smiled when nothing happened. Angel smiled back. "Can't blame a guy for trying."

Buffy laughed. "Guess not."

"You wanna give it a whirl?"

Buffy shrugged. "Sure." She grabbed the hilt and tugged. Nothing. "Figured. Oh well, I don't want to be King Arthur anyway. I like being Buffy Summers."

"I do too." Angel smiled and took Buffy's hand.

There was a knock on the door. "That's Uncle Victor. I have a doctor's appointment today." Buffy grabbed her coat and opened the door. "Bye Piper!" With that, Buffy was gone.

Angel and Piper stared at the washing machine. It was making an awful noise and there were soapsuds on the lid. Piper put down the monkey wrench and reached over and pulled the plug. "Perfect."

"Sorry I couldn't help." Angel said.

"It's ok. You're more of an old fashioned kinda guy. A really old fashioned kinda guy." She walked into the kitchen and a pot was boiling over. She turned the stove off and wiped up the mess.

"Uh, Piper….."

"Hey, lady." Piper looked around the bench to see one of the seven dwarfs standing there. "We could really use an authority figure out there."

"What are you doing here?" Piper asked.

"What am I doing here? I'm getting pushed around! I just lost my place in line."

"What line?" Piper and Angel asked.

The dwarf left the kitchen and Piper and Angel followed. In the conservatory, creatures of all shapes and sizes were standing in a line beside the sword and the stone. A woman was trying to pull out the sword but it didn't budge. She gave up and the next in line had a go.

"What is this?" Piper asked.

"Natural selection." The dwarf said. "Naturally I hope the sword selects me to be king. Finally get a little respect around here." The creatures laughed.

"You people, you creatures, whatever, you can't be here, you gotta go."

"We have a divine right to try our hand." An ogre said.

"Wow."

"Yeah. Ten feet is pretty much the distance." The dwarf shot back.

"Back of the line, please. Hoof it, sister!" One creature said.

"Chris! Chris! Get down here." Piper yelled. Leo orbed in. "Where's Chris?"

"Busy." Leo looked around. "What's going on?"

"Busy with what?"

"Other charges. I took him off your account again."

"Our account?"

"You know what I mean." Leo saw the sword and the stone. "Whoa, is that what I think it is?"

"No, no, it's not, ok. Now look, you gotta get all these people out of here because I can't do this right now."

Leo reached for the sword and one creature said, "Hey, hey, hey! No cuts, buddy."

Piper grabbed Leo and they went into the dining room. "Where's Buffy?" Leo asked.

"Doctor's office with Victor." Angel said.

"Oh."

"Leo, orb that thing out of here." Piper said.

"I can't."

"Yes you can."

"I won't."

"Why?"

"This was entrusted to you by the Lady of the Lake."

"Leo!"

"Sorry Piper."

"Then you need to get Phoebe and Paige. Now."

"What about Buffy?"

"We can't pull her away from a doctor's visit. She'll hate all of us forever with her hormones."

"All right. Be right back." Leo orbed out.

"Piper, duck." Angel said just as a tiny fairy, after trying to pull the sword out of the stone, was pushed by the ogre and she flew across the room, almost hitting Piper.

"Pest." The ogre tried to pull out the sword.

Phoebe, Paige and Leo orbed in. "Oh, my." Phoebe said.

"I was afraid this would happen." Paige said.

"Do you think you could have mentioned that?" Piper asked.

"And they won't leave?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, no, no. More show up every minute."

"But no bad guys yet, right?" Paige asked.

"What is that stench? What is that stench?" Phoebe asked.

"We gotta get this thing out of the manor. Leo refuses to orb it." Piper said.

"Hey, the Lady of the Lake came to the Charmed Ones and the Slayer for help. I'm not messing with that."

"Oh, for god's sakes." Piper headed for the sword and stone. "If you won't get rid of it, then I will." She held onto the sword and pulled it out of the rock. Phoebe gasped.

"Your majesty." One creature said.

"Wow."

The creatures kneeled as a man appeared in the room and walked over to Piper. "I bet you didn't expect this when you got up this morning." He said.

"I….."

"The sword has chosen. You are the new savior. The champion of good, the master of Excalibur. Welcome to your new destiny."

"Aw, crap."

Buffy walked in behind everyone and stopped dead. "What the…. Whoa Piper!"

"Ok, let's go, nothing to see here anymore, no more show, audios, scram." Phoebe said, pushing everyone out the door.

"Your majesty, seriously, if you need anything, anything at all, castles built, suits of armor. You name it, I got connections." The dwarf said to Piper before he zipped out the door. Phoebe closed the door behind him and headed to the living room.

Piper, Leo, Buffy, Angel, and the guy who had shown up out of nowhere were there. Piper was looking at the sword.

"Is it just me or does it still smell like ogre in here?" Phoebe asked as she sat down next to Buffy.

Piper sat down and placed Excalibur on the coffee table in front of her. "I'm telling you guys, this is all just a big mistake." Excalibur glowed and slid closer to Piper. "Stop that."

"It's drawn to you, just like you were drawn to it." The guy said.

"Do I look like I'm drawn to it, pal?"

"You will be in time."

"No, I don't have time to play Queen Arthur."

Paige walked in carrying Wyatt. "Oh, come on, Piper, have a little fun. Don't you realize what this means?" Paige handed Wyatt to Leo.

"One more thing on my 'to do' list?"

"No, it means you my dear, are the chosen one…. Whoops, sorry Buffy. Wrong terminology. What I mean is, Piper, you're the first in centuries to have power over the sword. Tell her all about it, Merlin."

"Oh, actually, the name's Mordaunt." The guy said. "Merlin was just a fairy tale."

"Ha!" Piper said.

"But Camelot was not."

"Ah ha!" Paige said.

"And thanks to you it can rise again."

"So what are you? A wizard? A sorcerer?" Buffy asked. "You don't smell human."

"Actually, I'm none of the above. I'm just a humble teacher in service of the sword. And we must begin instruction immediately before your enemy attacks."

"The Dark Knight." Angel said.

"You know him?"

"Yeah, we've already kicked his ass." Phoebe said.

"And if he shows up again we have a vanquishing potion ready and waiting." Piper said.

"What's in it?" Mordaunt asked.

"It's a mandrake variation with a little bit of griffins blood."

"Good, if you're going up against a pustouous knave, which you're not. If you want to fight the Dark Knight with magic, this is what you need." A piece of parchment materialized in his hand.

"I thought you said you weren't a sorcerer." Leo said.

"I picked up a few things along the way." Mordaunt handed Phoebe the parchment. "The Dark Knight is no trifle. You have to hit him with everything you have."

"I've never even heard of half of these ingredients." Phoebe said.

"It looks like you picked up quite a bit. What do you think?" Buffy said.

Phoebe looked at Mordaunt. "Can't get a read on him."

"Distrust is expected but don't let it blind you." Mordaunt said. "If I haven't taught Piper how to master the sword before the Dark Knight returns, your survival depends on that potion."

"Ok, so where are we supposed to get the ingredients?"

"I think I know a place. Leave it to me, your trusty assistant." Paige said. She orbed out with Phoebe.

"All right, I guess I'll go check with the other Elders and see if they know anything. You want me to take Wyatt?" Leo asked. Piper was admiring the sword. "Piper?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you want me to take Wyatt with me?"

"Yeah, sure." Leo orbed out with Wyatt. "I'll be fine." Piper stood up with the sword. A sword materialized in Mordaunt's hands. He attacked Piper and she screamed. She blocked his hits with Excalibur.

"Not bad." Mordaunt said. "Better than Arthur's first time."

"Really?" Piper asked.

"Now, I'm gonna come in low. Believe in Excalibur, just let it flow through you." As the swords clashed again, Buffy and Angel stood and headed to the kitchen.

"Something smells fishy." Buffy said.

"That would be the potion that Piper was making. I think she burnt it." Angel said.

"No. About Mordaunt. I think he's hiding something."

"Like what?"

"I don't know. But something feels off. Whatever it is, I'm going to find out." Suddenly a crash came from the upstairs. "Piper!"


	25. Chapter 25

Chapter 25

Piper and Mordaunt barged into the attic, sword fighting. Piper knocked his sword out of his hands and pushed him against the wall.

"You're a quick study." Mordaunt said.

"You're a good teacher." Piper said.

"So, you feel the sword's power?"

"Yes."

"How's it feel?"

"Not bad."

"You and Excalibur are becoming one. Soon nothing will matter. Nothing except the desire to rule."

Buffy and Angel ran in. "What's going on up here?" Buffy asked. "What's with the mess Piper?"

"Nothing. I'm just learning how to sword fight." Piper said, holding Excalibur tightly at her side. "Why didn't you show me this stuff before?"

"Because you never asked." Buffy looked around her. "Piper, you're destroying the Manor."

"I'll clean it up later."

"You'll clean it…." Buffy stopped when the Dark Knight, a demon, and two masked demons shimmered into the room.

"You." The Dark Knight said to Mordaunt.

"I was wondering when you would show up. Take him." Mordaunt said.

The Dark Knight attacked Piper and Mordaunt grabbed his sword and the three other demons attacked. Buffy and Angel went into defensive crouches and took on one of their own. Piper managed to vanquish the demon just as Buffy and Angel took out their masked demons. Then Piper stabbed the Dark Knight and vanquished him. "Your assimilation is complete. You are now one with Excalibur." Mordaunt said.

"Whoa. One with Excalibur?" Buffy asked.

"Now what?" Piper asked.

Paige and Phoebe orbed in. Piper turned to them, holding the sword at the ready. "It's just us." Paige said.

"He's not what you think he is." Phoebe said.

"He tried to kill us."

"He wants the sword."

"Wait, I'm confused. But also right." Buffy said.

"But the sword chose me." Piper said.

"No, he's just using you, he wants the power of the sword for himself." Paige said.

"You're not meant to control the sword." Phoebe said.

"But I do control it. And you don't think I can." Piper said.

"Perhaps we should leave." Mordaunt spoke up.

"Paige, Paige, Paige." Phoebe said.

"Excalibur." Paige tried to orb Excalibur but it didn't leave Piper's hands.

"Don't do that again." Piper said.

"It appears your queen has spoken." Mordaunt said. He and Piper disappeared.

"Her majesty has left the building." Phoebe said.

"Or her madness." Paige added.

"Ok, what the hell is going on?" Buffy asked.

Phoebe, Angel, Buffy, Paige, and Leo had all gathered in the conservatory. The others paced while Paige scryed for Piper.

"Anything?" Leo asked.

"Nope, can't find Piper anywhere." Paige said.

"Well, keep looking, she's bound to show up somewhere."

"Yeah, to do what?"

"I don't understand. If she wasn't supposed to pull the sword out of the stone, then why was she able to?" Buffy asked.

"Because according to the other Elders, she was only meant to pass it on to whom ever it was really meant for." Leo said.

"So she's not the new King Arthur but she is the new Lady of the Lake?"

"Basically, yeah."

"Well, why is it turning her evil?" Paige asked.

"Because only the ultimate power on earth can handle Excalibur." Angel said. "That's why the Lady stayed in the lake to insulate herself from the power of the sword."

"Ok, so we should find Piper and then drown her." Buffy said. Leo gave her a look. "Oh, I'm just kidding, Leo."

"It's no joke, it's the only way to keep the power from consuming her, destroying her." Leo said.

"Still, what does Mordaunt want with Piper?" Phoebe asked. "I mean, he's tricky, but he's hardly the ultimate power on earth."

"But he can use Piper to become that power." Buffy said, putting the pieces together.

The crystal pointed to a spot on the map. "Guess who just surfaced." Paige said.

"Let's go get her." Phoebe and Buffy grabbed each of Paige's hands and they orbed to where Piper was.

"Piper." Paige said.

"I should have known it was a trap." A demon said, getting up.

"You stay put." Piper said to the demon. She turned to the girls. "You, I warned you."

"Sorry, your majesty." Phoebe threw a potion and Piper destroyed it with the sword. "Paige, now, orb her."

Paige orbed out just as Piper threw Excalibur at her. Buffy caught Excalibur just as Paige orbed in behind Piper and grabbed her. Piper threw Paige over her shoulders and she landed on the ground in front of Phoebe and Buffy. Piper held out her hand and Excalibur was yanked out of Buffy's hands and returned to her.

"Impressive, huh? Now, make your queen proud." Mordaunt said.

Phoebe helped Paige up. The demon threw electricity bolts at Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige. Buffy managed to jump out of the way before it hit her, but they hit Paige and Phoebe in their chests. They fell to the ground, leaving their spirits behind.

"What just happened?" Paige asked.

"I don't know, but I don't think it's good." Phoebe said as Piper, Mordaunt, and the demon disappeared.

"Leo!" Buffy called.

Back at the Manor, a restored Phoebe and Paige, and Angel, Buffy, and Leo were in the conservatory once again. Phoebe was scrying and Paige was laying on the chair.

"Ow." Paige said.

"Feeling any better?" Leo asked.

"No, I'm pretty sure 'ow' signifies that I am not in fact feeling any better." She sat up. "I'm getting tired of this whole soul separating from my body thing. It's getting to be a disturbing pattern."

"It's pretty close too, your souls were getting ready to move on."

"Move on to where exactly?"

"Nice try."

"I can not believe, Piper. Did you see that look in her eyes?" Phoebe asked.

"Hey, at least it looked like she was having fun for once." Paige said.

"I'm just glad you girls are ok." Angel said. "Especially you." He said to Buffy.

"Angel…." Buffy started.

"You do understand that if you'd have been killed today too, our baby would have died too."

"I know, but….."

"We're going to have to talk about you going out on these dangerous missions."

"He's right." Leo said. "This baby was a gift that can easily be taken away. The Elders trust that you'll do everything you can to protect that baby."

"I'm trying, but it's really hard to ignore the call of duty." Buffy said.

"Just remember that you're not invincible like Piper was." Paige said.

Buffy nodded and then turned to Phoebe. "Find her yet?"

"No, nothing." Phoebe said.

"All right, keep trying." Leo said. "Just like last time, they can't do anything until they resurface."

"Yeah, unless Mordaunt wants her to help him rule the underworld." Paige said.

"There's gotta be another way to get her out of this." Angel said.

"I just wish we knew who King Arthur is."

"Wait, what do you mean?" Phoebe asked.

"I mean, if we need to separate Piper from the sword, what better way than to figure out who she's meant to give it to." Wyatt gurgled from the playpen. "No."

"It's Wyatt, oh my god, it has to be." Phoebe said. Leo groaned in pain. "What's the matter?"

"It's Piper, she's hurt." Leo said.

The crystal pointed to a spot on the map. "Harding Park, let's go."

"I got Wyatt." Buffy said.

"I'll stay so if anything happens, I can orb you guys out of here quick."

Phoebe orbed out with Leo. Not even three seconds after they did, Mordaunt appeared and walked up to the playpen holding Excalibur. "My apologies, King Wyatt." He said. "I guess it just wasn't meant to be." Mordaunt stabbed the lumpy blanket bundle in the playpen and lifted up the bundle. It was a teddy bear wrapped in a blanket. "What!"

"Ohh, and that's his favorite teddy bear." Buffy said behind him.

Piper, Phoebe and Leo orbed in. Piper took Wyatt from Buffy. "Bet you didn't expect this when you got up this morning."

"But I still got Excalibur." Mordaunt said.

"Not for long." Phoebe said.

"Go for it, Wyatt." Leo said.

Wyatt orbed out Excalibur and it orbed back in, hovering in front of Wyatt. Wyatt pointed and Excalibur flew across the room and stabbed Mordaunt. Mordaunt exploded and was vanquished. The sword dropped to the floor.

"Ok, sweetie, that's very, very good." Piper said. "But we need to put this away, so you don't put an eye out. At least until you're eighteen and your aunt Buffy can show you how to use it."

Buffy walked over to Excalibur and picked it up like it was light as a feather. "Wow, the real Excalibur. I can't believe I'm holding this. Wyatt, your aunt Buffy is _definitely _going to teach you how to use this thing one day." Buffy walked over to the stone and pushed Excalibur into it. "But that won't be for a long while."

"How are you?" Paige asked Piper.

"Oh, fine." Piper said. "Do you think you could orb this into the attic?"

"Absolutely." The sword and the stone orbed out.

"Away from any furniture?"

They heard a crash from upstairs. "Sorry."

"Don't worry, I'll just add it to my list." Piper said with a laugh.

Buffy bounced Wyatt while Piper looked on. "Listen, I want you to promise me and your mommy that before we take that thing out of storage, you're gonna play lots of football and baseball and have lots of normal toys, and maybe we can get a dog."

Piper laughed just as Leo walked in. "What do you think? Should we get a dog?"

"How are we doing?" Leo asked.

"Uh, his highness seems content."

"What about you?"

"I'm doing all right. At least I have my priorities straight now. I was so busy doing stuff and all I really wanted to do was hang out with him."

"Well, you should have more time for that now. I fixed the washer."

"You did?"

"And the sink, and the cable, and the toilet."

"Wow, I forgot how handy you were to have around the house."

"Pretty strange, huh?"

"Kind of scary, actually."

"Why?"

"Well, we've seen what he can do without the sword. I can't begin to imagine what he could do with it. Especially after Buffy starts teaching him."

"Well, whatever it is, it's meant to be."

"It doesn't make it any less scary, though. But that's tomorrow's problem. I'll worry about it then. Okey-dokey."

"Works for me." Leo looked at Buffy. "How are you doing?"

"I'm actually feeling pretty darn good. I can't wait until Alex is born."

"Alex?" Piper asked.

"Yup."

"You're having a boy?" Leo asked.

"A girl. The doctor said that she could tell the sex of the baby."

"Does Angel know?" Piper asked.

"Not yet. But I'll tell him soon." Buffy smiled at Wyatt. "You're gonna get to meet your cousin soon, Wyatt." He smiled. "Yes you are. Alexis Prudence Summers."

"I like that." Leo said.

"I do too." Piper said. "What do you think Wyatt? Do you think she'll like it?" Wyatt gurgled and laughed.


	26. Chapter 26

Chapter 26

Buffy was laying in bed staring at the ceiling. She was now 23 weeks along and she had a perfectly round belly that wasn't so big it overpowered her. Phoebe kept telling her she was the most beautiful pregnant woman ever. Sometimes the Slayer didn't feel like it.

Angel was out with the girls demon hunting and Buffy was watching Wyatt. They'd been playing with his toys up until a few minutes ago. He'd gotten bored and had tried to climb up on the bed to lay with Buffy. She'd pulled him up and he'd curled up next to her to sleep.

"Ok, here you go." Paige said from downstairs.

Piper walked upstairs. "Buffy?"

"In here." Buffy sat up without disturbing Wyatt. "How was it?"

"Oh, you know…. We got the demon. Was he good for you?"

"He was perfect. What's up with the tone?"

"What tone?"

"You have a tone."

Piper sighed. "Let me put Wyatt in his crib and we'll go downstairs."

"You go ahead. I'll meet you down there." Buffy walked out and headed downstairs. Paige, Angel, and Phoebe were standing around Wyatt's playpen staying in. Inside the playpen was a small baby chewing on a teething toy.

"I still can't believe we vanquished his mommy." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, but we didn't know it was a mommy, and besides, mommy tried to kill us." Paige said.

"I know."

"Demon baby?" Buffy asked.

All three of them turned. "Yup."

"Hey baby." Angel said, kissing her cheek. "How are you feeling?"

"Tired."

"Look at how cute he is." Phoebe said. "So adorable. Oh, except when he does that weird little thing with his tongue."

"What weird little thing with his…." The baby flicked its forked tongue and Buffy gasped a little. "Oh that weird little thing with his tongue."

"I wonder why he looks so human." Paige said.

"He won't for long." Angel said.

Piper walked down the stairs. "Ok, Wyatt's upstairs, so at least he's…." Wyatt orbed down into the playpen next to the baby. "Safe."

"Don't worry about Wyatt." Buffy said. "He's got his protective bubble. He'll use it if he needs it."

"Plus, it looks like he likes his new friend." Paige said.

"That is not a friend. That's a demon." Piper said.

"No, he's just a baby!"

"Excuse me. Were you at the same vanquish as me? Because it took all three of us to stop its mother."

"It doesn't mean he's gonna turn out that way."

"Paige, he doesn't have a choice. It's genetic." Angel said.

"No, I don't think so. Ok. Maybe I'm a little biased because I am, in fact, adopted, but I really think there's something to the whole nurture versus nature thing and predicting how a kid is gonna turn out, you know, the classic environment versus biology argument."

"But this is not a child. It's a demon." Piper said.

"Ok." Buffy looked at Phoebe. "Why don't you go over there and see if you can sense anything evil?"

Phoebe looked a the baby in the playpen. "All right." After a moment, she shrugged. "Nothing…. Good or evil."

"My point exactly!" Paige declared. "Clay to be molded."

"Yeah, I don't know about that." Piper said.

"Still, the question remains, what are we supposed to do with him?" Phoebe asked.

Chris orbed into the room, his back to the playpen. "So you vanquished the demon?"

"Yes…. And no." Piper said.

"Well, the good news is the demon you sent us after is, in fact, uh…. gone." Paige said.

"And the bad news is whatever ate it….. left us that." Angel said, pointing to the baby. Chris turned around and saw the baby flick its tongue out at him.

"I think he likes you." Paige said.

"I don't care. Vanquish it."

"Chris!" Buffy said.

"I mean it. Now."

"No!" Paige said. "We are not vanquishing a baby. What's wrong with you?"

"I'm just concerned that this could be the future evil that gets to Wyatt."

"Don't be ridiculous."

"What? I'm being ridiculous? There's a demon in the playpen."

Before anyone could answer, the telephone rang. "I'll get it." Paige turned to leave.

"Hey, if it's Jason, tell him I'm in the shower." Phoebe said.

"Are you avoiding him?" Buffy asked.

"Uh…. Kind of. I, um…. Sort of told him that I loved him last night."

"And this is bad?"

"No. Except I said, 'I love you, too,' as if he said, 'I love you' first…. Which he didn't."

"So, wait…. You told him that he loves you before he told you that he loves you?" Phoebe nodded emphatically. "Yeah, that's not good."

"Yeah. I'll be lucky if he doesn't move to Hong Kong permanently now. I really thought I had my empath power under control."

"Forget that." Chris interrupted. "What are you gonna do?"

"What am I supposed to do? I mean, you tell a guy that you love them, and they bolt. It's just what they do."

"About the baby. I meant the baby. We gotta do something." Behind Chris, the baby cooed and everyone looked at it. At that moment, the baby saw the pacifier across the playpen. He flicked his tongue, stretching it out across the playpen, and picked up the pacifier with it bringing it to his mouth to suck on. "Fast."

Wyatt was in his playpen with Piper and Buffy sitting next to it. Piper was playing peek-a-boo with her son. "Where's Wyatt? Where is he? Look, look, wait. Listen. Where's Wyatt?" She moved her hands. "There he is! Look! Look!" She covered her eyes. "Where's Wyatt? Where's Wyatt?" She moved her hands away again. "There he is!" Wyatt wasn't interested at all. He shook his head and went back to playing with his toys. "All right."

"I don't think distracting him is the answer." Chris said behind them.

"Wyatt, bad demon. Very bad demon."

Paige walked back into the conservatory to join the rest of the group just as Phoebe walked in with Angel. "Hey, was that Jason?"

"No. That was my raison d'etre."

"Pardon?" Buffy asked.

"That was Darryl. I've been wondering why the temp agency hasn't called, and now I know why. I needed to be free to help him."

"To do what?" Piper asked.

"Well, to save an innocent. Why else would he have called? And, more importantly, why else would I have been the one to answer the phone?"

"Cause you were the closest to it?" Phoebe said.

"No. Because it's my reason for being. Call me if you need help." Paige walked out the door.

"What? You're just gonna let her go?" Chris asked.

"You're welcome to try and stop her." Buffy said.

"I should go talk to Jason." Phoebe said, standing up.

"And her, too." Piper added.

"Wait. Stop. Where are you going? Are you slightly concerned that there's a demon in the house?"

"Chris, this is a baby, ok?" Relax." Phoebe looked at Buffy. "You call me if you need anything." She knelt down and started baby talking to Buffy's belly. "Bye, bye, Alex! Bye, bye, sweetheart. My little niece. Yes you are! Yes you are!"

Buffy pushed Phoebe away with a laugh and said, "Love you, too."

"Don't."

"Sorry."

"And you guys are ok with this?" Chris asked. "Them dumping this on _your_ laps?"

"Well, they don't seem too worried." Piper said.

Chris looked down at the playpen. "Well, they should be. I need to figure out what kind of creature we're dealing with here." He orbed out.

"He's _way_ too serious." Buffy said.

"Uh huh." Piper agreed.

Buffy looked over at Angel sitting on the couch. "You're quiet."

"Just thinking." Angel said.

"About?"

"If Paige is right about molding a baby instead of him being born evil."

Buffy shrugged. "I don't know. Sometimes the craziest killers grow up with the most normal lives." She looked back at the demon baby who smiled up at her.

Chris paced the attic with the Book while Buffy, Piper, and Angel sat on the couch talking amongst themselves. "'Vicious demons with supernatural strength and venomous claws, manticores communicate with high-pitched cries and tend to travel in packs.'" Chris nodded and looked over at his audience. "Uh…. Hi! Did you hear me?"

"Yeah, yeah. Manticores." Piper said.

"I say we get rid of the little brat before the pack comes looking for him."

"What do you suggest we do with him, call social services?"

"No, I suggest you vanquish it."

"Chris, I'm a mother. I can't go around vanquishing babies, no matter how evil they are."

"Buffy…."

"Sorry, Chris. I'm with Piper." Buffy patted her belly.

"It's not how evil he is. It's how evil he's gonna be. You gotta stop looking at him like he's a little baby and start looking at him like he's an unstoppable killing machine, because that's what he is."

"I realize that, but still…." Piper said.

"But still nothing. You're supposed to protect the innocents, right? Think of all the future innocents you can save by vanquishing him right now."

"Don't you think we know that?" Buffy snapped. "I'm scared to death of what he could possibly to do Wyatt, or even to Alexis, but we can't even separate those two." She gestured at the playpen where Wyatt was playing with the demon baby.

"Guys, there's one thing you can do, and you know it. And you'd better do it fast before any other manticores show up. There's no known vanquishing potion."

"We just can't do it." Piper said.

"Ok. Well, if you won't listen to me, maybe you'll listen to Leo." Chris orbed out.

Angel shook his head. "Didn't even ask my opinion."

"Because you'll answer the same as we did." Buffy said.

Inside the playpen, Wyatt was playing peek-a-boo with the demon baby. He would cover his eyes and the demon baby would shimmer out. When Wyatt uncovered his eyes, the demon baby shimmered back in. Buffy and Piper chuckled.


	27. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Piper carried Wyatt into the attic again. "Ok, listen to me. You will not orb down to your little friend. Do you understand me? No orbing." She put him down in his playpen and after a few seconds, the demon baby shimmered into the playpen next to Wyatt. "I give up."

Buffy and Angel, who were still up in the attic, laughed. "Face it Piper," Buffy said. "They like each other.

Phoebe walked into the attic saying. "I have had it with men. They are incorrigible."

"Well, let me tell you, little boys are not much better." Piper said.

"I could understand running if he didn't love me back, you know? Fight or flight. It's the nature of the beast."

"Speaking of that…."

"But he does love me. I know. I felt it, you know? So what's the big deal? Why is he running?"

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you probably won't be alive much longer to worry about it." Angel said.

"Thank you, yes. That makes me feel so much better."

"I'm just saying, if this doesn't work, we may not be able to vanquish the manticores when they come to pick up their little one." Piper said.

"Oh, you figured out what they are?"

"Yeah. And it's not good, believe me."

"So maybe Chris was right."

"Yeah, I know, but…. I can't."

"Piper, you said it yourself. He was born evil."

"I know. And I still believe that. I do. But something just doesn't add up about him. Why isn't Wyatt using his protective shield? Why doesn't Wyatt think he's evil?"

"Well, we gotta keep Wyatt away from him." Phoebe headed for the playpen and picked Wyatt up.

"Phoebe, wait…." Buffy and Piper started. The demon baby started to cry.

"You stay away from my nephew, ok? And don't shimmer after him either, or I'll bind your powers." Suddenly, the baby started to cry with an unnatural high-pitched wailing sound.

"Phoebe, hurry! Put him back down." Buffy said.

"What? Ok…." She put Wyatt into the playpen, then turned around to look at Buffy and Piper. "Why?"

A beast shimmered into the attic just behind Phoebe. "That's why." Angel said, jumping in front of Phoebe. The beast backhanded Angel, sending him and Phoebe flying back into Piper across the attic. Buffy ran over to the playpen to guard Wyatt. The beast turned to her and Wyatt's protective shield went up around Buffy and the entire playpen. The beast tried to hit Buffy, but the shield prevented him.

"Wyatt, let aunt Buffy out, sweetie." Buffy said. "She needs to keep you safe." After a second, the shield moved away to surround just the playpen.

Buffy kicked the beast back and punched him twice before the beast shimmered out of the attic. She turned to look at Angel helping Piper and Phoebe up, but the beast shimmered back into the attic behind her. He grabbed Buffy and roared.

"No!" Angel cried, as the beast shimmered them both out of the attic.

Paige walked into the attic carrying an ice pack. Phoebe sat at the table scrying for Buffy. Angel was pacing fiercely back and forth, only barely managing to stay out of the sun coming in through the windows. Piper sat on the couch, watching Angel. Inside the playpen, the demon baby was sleeping quietly while Wyatt was still awake and watching them.

Paige gave Phoebe the ice pack. "I feel really bad that I wasn't there to help you earlier."

"Oh, I don't think you could've helped even if you were there." Phoebe said. "Thanks. That thing was just as powerful as the manticore."

"Are you sure it wasn't a manticore?"

"Yeah, we're positive." Piper said. "It was more…. beast-like."

"What do you think it wanted with the baby?"

"I don't know, but I think it's really weird that is showed up right after the baby started crying." Phoebe said. "You know, as if it could hear him."

"Maybe we can get the baby to cry again and lure The Beast here, and torture him into coughing up Buffy."

"It's a great idea, but we don't have a potion yet." Piper said.

"I can't find Buffy anywhere!" Phoebe said, throwing the crystal onto the table. "I can't even sense her!"

Paige turned around to the potions table. "Ok, let me get started on the potion. The good news is if he wanted to kill Buffy by now, he probably would have. And undoubtedly he's holding her hostage somewhere, probably magically cloaked. And I think he's gonna use her as leverage to get that baby, just you watch."

"Since when did you become an expert on hostage situations?" Piper asked.

"About an hour ago."

Chris and Leo orbed into the attic. "Hey." Chris said.

"Shh! Keep it down. Don't wake the baby. Trust me." Paige said.

"Where's Buffy?" Chris whispered.

"That's a really good question." Piper said.

"Wait, she's missing?" Leo asked.

"Did the manticores take her?" Chris asked.

"No, some other creature that wanted the baby." Phoebe said.

"Damn it, you should have listened to me. You should have vanquished him when you had the chance."

Paige glanced nervously over at Angel. "Well, it's good that we didn't because we're gonna need the baby to get Buffy back."

"You guys, shh. Keep your voices down." Phoebe said.

"I am not convinced that that baby is inherently evil, which means he's probably not even responsible for any of this."

"Oh, come on! Will you please talk to her?" Chris said to Leo.

"Not everyone is born morally neutral, especially not demons. They're predisposed to evil."

"Predisposed, yeah, but it doesn't mean they can't be raised to overcome it. You can't predict whether a kid is gonna be good or evil based on his genetics." Paige argued.

"Paige, we're not talking about kids. We're talking about demons."

"No, we are talking about a demon kid who so far has played nothing but nice with Wyatt."

"This is all irrelevant." Piper said. "We need the baby to find Buffy, so let's just focus on that, shall we?"

"Piper's right." Leo said. "Although I think I should take Wyatt just to be on the safe

side."

"What if the other baby wakes up?" Phoebe asked.

"They won't be able to follow me where I'm going." Leo picked up Wyatt.

"It's gonna scream bloody murder and call half the manticores in the city to come save it. Maybe the beast, too." Paige said.

"We have to be prepared." Piper said. "Ok. Go quietly." Leo orbed out with Wyatt. Chris orbed out as well.

Phoebe got to her feet and headed toward the potions table. "Let's get started on that potion."

Buffy was sitting on the floor of what was once a decent living area. What she looked at now was a mess with windows that were covered so that no light could come into the house. Buffy sighed and tried to get her hands free of the thick rope holding them together behind her back. As she worked on the ropes, the beast walked rapidly across the doorway, keeping out of her sight.

"Hello?" Buffy called.

The beast peered at her from behind the door frame. "I want the child."

"Who are you?"

"I want the child!"

"Yeah. Heard you the first time." The beast walked into the room and hid behind a bookshelf. "Look, if you're trying to scare me, it's not gonna work cause, honestly, I've seen worse. Really."

"I doubt it. I don't want to hurt you, but I will if you don't do as I ask."

"Who are you kidding? You need me, otherwise I'd be dead already."

The beast stepped out into the open. "Don't mock me!"

"Ok. Take it easy. Sorry. " The beast stepped behind the lampshade. "So, you're not a manticore. Why do you want the kid?"

"That's not your concern."

"Well, it is if you want my help. I'm not just gonna serve him up to you as a snack."

"That's not why I want him. How'd you get him away from his mother anyway?"

"My cousins vanquished her."

"You have no idea what they've done."

"They got a baby away from a demon, and we're not gonna give him up to another one."

"Then you'll die!"

"Won't be the first time." Buffy yanked hard on the rope and it snapped. She threw a table and hit the wall next to the beast, sending up dust and broken table bits. She ran out of the room and headed for the front door. The protective shield around the house zapped her and she was thrown back into the house. Buffy groaned and got to her feet and ran into the nearby bedroom where she hid behind a stacks of boxes and furniture.

After a long moment of silence, she peeked out of the bedroom doorway. Buffy took a good look at the mess in the house and, seeing that there was no one there, she tried to make a break for it. She managed to take a couple of steps, but a broken framed photograph of a smiling young man staring up at her from the floor stopped her. She looked around and saw a baby toy near the picture. Bending down, she picked it up and turned around. Unfortunately, she came face to face with the beast. He growled and grabbed her.

"Last chance." He said. "Help me get the child or die."

"What are you doing with this?" Buffy asked, holding up the baby toy. She took a step back, yanking away from the beast before he could hurt her.

"What is the matter with you? Do you have a death wish? I've come too far. I've gone through too much to lose him now. Don't make me kill you and your child!"

"Why don't you just do it? What are you waiting for? Get it over with!"

"I can do worse than kill you. I can keep you here. You'll never see your family again. And when your child comes, I'll take him away and you'll never see him. Think about it." The beast shimmered out, leaving Buffy alone. She glanced down at the toy in her hand.

Paige added an ingredient to her pot and the potion exploded. "Well, can't think of anything else to add. It's the most powerful potion we've ever made."

"I agree. I guess it's time to wake up the baby?" Phoebe said. Before anyone could move, her cell phone rang. "Hello?" The baby in the playpen started to stir and he opened his eyes.

"Hey, it's me." Jason said.

"Oh, hey, Jason."

"I, uh…. I didn't want to leave like this."

"Uh, I can't really talk right now. I'm kind of busy."

"Oh, really? Come on, Phoebe. Why do you always have to make things so difficult?"

"Oh, I make things so difficult? And how exactly do I do that? By being honest with my feelings and by making you be honest with yours?"

"You know it's not that simple."

The baby started to cry that same high-pitched wail. "Ok, I really have to go now."

"Phoebe, wait."

"Have a good flight." Phoebe hung up on him. "Toss me a vial."

Paige tossed Phoebe a vial just as a manticore shimmered into the room next to Paige. Paige turned to look at him, but the manticore backhanded her. She went flying across the attic to the other side. The manticore took a step next to Phoebe, but Angel tackled him away. They rolled to their feet with Angel holding the manticore up like a shield. Phoebe threw the vial, vanquishing the manticore in an explosion of fire and smoke and sending Angel back a few feet.

"Paige, you ok?" Phoebe asked, rushing over to Angel. Suddenly, two more manticores shimmered into the attic. They growled and a manticore backhanded Phoebe across the face. She went flying across the attic toward the opposite wall and crashed into a spot just next to Paige. Angel got to his feet and grabbed a vile as the two manticores hissed, advancing toward the girls.

Piper ran up into the attic and gasped as she took in everything. The beast shimmered into the attic and hit her, knocking her back into the hallway. He growled and hit one manticore. The other manticore swung, but the beast blocked the blow and stuck his hand into the other. For a long moment, the two creatures stared at each other. Finally, the manticore disappeared into a pile of dust.

The other manticore, bleeding and on the floor, turned and looked up at the beast. The two creatures growled and hissed at each other. The manticore shimmered out leaving a pool of yellow blood behind.

The demon baby cooed and the beast looked at the playpen. He started walking toward the baby. Angel growled and stood up as the beast picked up the baby. Angel threw the vial and hit the beast in the back, injuring him. He turned around, growled, and shimmered himself and the baby out of the attic.

"NO!" Angel cried.

"So much for our leverage." Paige said.

Piper walked back into the attic, holding her head. "What happened?"

"Find that thing!" Angel said. "Now that he's got that baby, he doesn't need Buffy."

"The beast got the baby?"

"Yes." Phoebe said. "We've got to find them."


	28. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

Buffy stood at the front door of the beast's place and tried to figure out how to get out of the house. She finally remembered she had the necklace on that held Prue's powers. Looking around, Buffy saw an electrical outlet hanging by its wires near the door. She flicked her hands, throwing her power at it, and an electrical shock was sent through the shield around the door frame. She did it over and over and over.

Finally, the last blast reached the door itself and electrical sparks flew off the doorframe. Buffy cautiously reached for the doorknob. When she didn't touch anything electrifying, she grabbed the knob and opened the door. When she stepped outside, she was surprised to find herself in a residential neighborhood. It was actually a normal residential neighborhood with front lawns and driveways and swing sets.

Behind her, she heard the beast's heavy breathing and knew that he had returned. Buffy had the feeling that she was free to leave, but instead, she headed back into the house. She walked into the bedroom and saw the beast hunched over the demon baby, softly cooing to him.

"Shh. You're ok. It's all right. You're home now." The Beast said. He turned around and saw Buffy watching him from the doorway. Their eyes met and a strange bond of understanding passed between them. Unconsciously, Buffy's hands went to her swollen belly and covered it protectively.

"You're hurt." Buffy said, seeing the wound on his back.

"It's fine."

"No. It's not. Let me see it."

"No."

"Yes." Buffy walked over and moved the shirt away from the wound. "Do you have a first aid kit?"

"No."

"Bathroom then?"

"Down the hall."

Buffy nodded and headed down to the bathroom. She found washcloths and some antiseptic in the medicine cabinet. When she got back, the beast was still standing where she'd left him, but the baby was laying in a playpen. "Ok, take off your shirt."

"What?"

"I need to get to your wound." He sighed and turned his back on her. Buffy sighed and walked over. In one smooth rip, she managed to get the entire back of his shirt open so she could see the wound. "Now hold still." She started to clean the wound and he roared at her, but she just rolled her eyes. "Well, quit moving around so much. You're just making this more difficult."

"Just leave me alone."

"Why? So you can die? Hey, it's your choice. I'm just saying if we can't stop this bleeding…."

"Fine. Whatever. Just hurry up."

"You're welcome. Who did this to you?"

"Your cousins."

"Oh. Sorry. Actually, if they used the potion I think they did, you're lucky to be alive. You should have been blown to pieces."

"How do you know?"

"Well, cause I helped Piper make it once." The Beast growled as she used the cloth to clean the wound. "Oh, come on. Show a little spine. What kind of demon are you?"

"I'm not a demon."

"Didn't think so. You didn't smell like one. So what are you? I saw a picture of a man in the bedroom." He seemed to become more sullen. "Oh, come on. I've been around a lot of demons, and they don't usually live in neighborhoods right out of Home & Garden."

"Is that why you're helping me? You think this is some sort of hideous curse or something?"

"Yeah, basically."

He stood up and moved away from Buffy. "Well, then go. I don't need your pity. That's not what happened, and that's not who I am." He glanced over at the baby. "Not anymore, anyway. Just leave us. Go."

"Us? You mean you and your son? What happened?"

"Manticores mate with humans to create hybrids so they can blend in. Hide in plain sight. They kill their mates after conception, but I got away. Ever since, all I could think about was saving my son. So he wouldn't have to be raised like one of them. The only chance I had to do that was…. to turn myself into this, to become powerful."

"But how?"

"I just started mixing potions…. Using whatever I could steal from them. I didn't know what I was doing, but I didn't care. All I cared about was finding a way to fight them…. To find him. I didn't care what would happen to me. I just wanted my son."

"I know how you feel." He looked over at her. "I went to some seriously crazy lengths to get the father of my baby back. When you love someone so deeply, you'll do anything for them."

"Yes."

"You know they're gonna try and take him back."

"I know."

"So let's get you fixed up so we can fight them together."

Paige took a sample of the manticore's yellow blood off of the attic floor and gave it to Phoebe. "This had better work." Paige said.

"Oh, it will." Phoebe said.

Leo and Chris orbed into the attic. "We just got back from talking to The Elders, and they're in agreement." Leo said. "If we can't return the baby safely to the manticores…."

"We'll vanquish him." Chris finished.

"Talk about your moot points, people." Paige said.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Well, do you notice anything missing?" Piper asked. The men both turned to look at the playpen.

"The baby?" Leo asked.

"What happened?" Chris asked.

"The Beast took him." Angel said. He was still pacing furiously.

"Yeah, right after the manticores kicked our asses." Paige said.

"This is all Jason's fault." Phoebe said.

"How's that?" Leo asked.

"Oh, you're a guy. You wouldn't get it."

"Wait. How are we supposed to get back Buffy if we don't have a baby?" Chris asked.

"Well, we're gonna try to have another little get-together with the manticores." Paige said. "See if we can't strike some sort of deal."

"If we can join forces with them to kill the beast, then they can get their baby back." Piper said.

"And we get our cousin back." Phoebe said.

"And what if they don't want to join forces?" Leo asked.

"Well, then we hope we have enough of these fancy little things to go around." Paige said, holding up a vile.

"No." Chris said. "No way. It's too risky."

"Well, blood is thicker than water." Phoebe said as she added the manticore blood to the scrying crystal.

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige with Angel orbed into a cave and saw the manticores feeding off something on the floor. Paige waved to get their attention. "Hey!" The manticores stopped eating and looked up. "Sorry to interrupt." The manticores stood up to face the intruders, but Phoebe held up the potion vials.

"Ah-ah-ah!" She said. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"So, who wants to go hunting with us?" Piper asked.

Buffy walked out of the kitchen with a new towel and a bowl of water. "This is gonna be a little cold. I think they turned your hot water off or something." She put the towel on the beast's back and checked his wound. "The bleeding's not stopping. You should come home with me, and we can do more there."

"No, I can't." He said.

"If you're worried about my cousins…."

"It's not your cousins I'm worried about. It's the manticores. They'll be looking for me there. They'll be looking for him there."

"But you don't understand. We have somebody who can heal you once we turn you back into…."

"You can't turn me back. No one can. Not unless I die."

"So how were you planning on raising your son?"

"I wasn't. I figured I'd find someone…. After. All I cared about was saving him. That's exactly what I'm gonna keep on doing." He stood up and started to move away, but Buffy put a hand on his arm to stop him.

"You can't run forever, you know. Not for long. Not with that. And who's gonna save him when you're dead?"

"You have a way with words, you know that?"

"I pun a lot."

Paige, Piper, Phoebe, and Angel orbed in. "Buffy, duck!" Phoebe called. The three women threw potion vials at the beast, but Buffy used Prue's powers to toss them away before they could touch him.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked. A couple of manticores shimmered into the room and attacked the beast. Angel rushed in and pulled Buffy away.

"Let's get her out of here." Phoebe said.

Paige orbed them out of the room while Buffy screamed. "No! Stop! No!" They were standing in the foyer of the Manor. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Saving your life." Piper said.

"No, no, no. You don't understand. We have to go back. Hurry."

"Why?"

"GO BACK!" Paige orbed them back to the house. Everything was deathly quiet and the manticores and the baby were gone. Buffy looked around and saw the Beast laying on the living room floor beaten and broken. "Oh, no." She rushed over and knelt down next to him as he turned to look at her. The beast, weakened by the beating to the point of death, ended the potion's magic and transformed back to his human self. "We need Leo!"

Paige orbed everyone to the living room and the man was orbed onto the sofa.

"Leo, we need you!" Piper called.

Leo and Chris orbed into the living room. "Leo, hurry. He's dying." Buffy said.

Leo rushed forward. "Who is he?"

"The Beast. Just heal. Hurry." Leo put his hands over the man and started to heal him.

"Where's the baby?" Chris asked.

"Manticores have him." Paige said.

"Oh, so the plan worked."

"Yeah. A little too well." Phoebe said.

"And now we just have to get the baby back." Paige said.

"What?" Chris cried.

"Paige, will you go fill up some potion vials, please?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Paige started to leave.

"Lots of them." Buffy said.

"Hold up, are you serious?" Chris asked. "You finally get rid of the demon child and now you want to risk your lives trying to get it back?"

"He's not a demon child. " The man said, sitting up. "That's my son."

Buffy sat down next to him. "How are you feeling? Are you all right?"

"I can't believe I'm human again."

"Aren't you glad you didn't kill me now?"

"Not funny. I don't think that's funny." Angel said, hovering over Buffy.

"Agreed." Chris added.

"We're gonna get your baby back. I promise." Phoebe said to the man.

"Do we not have a say in this?"

"No, we don't." Leo said. "One thing you gotta learn about being their Whitelighter is once they make up their mind, that's it. Besides, I'm a father first."

"So we're gonna have to separate the baby before we attack. You know that, right?" Phoebe said.

"Why?"

"Well, because the potion vanquishes manticores. And your son is half manticore." Piper said.

Buffy sat with Derek, the man they'd called the beast, and Wyatt, who was bouncing on her lap, waiting for her cousins. In all the time she'd been with him, she hadn't even gotten around to asking his name. They'd been chatting for a little while now. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Angel had gone off to save the baby. Angel had insisted it was too dangerous for Buffy to go, and everyone else agreed, so she'd been left behind.

"What are you going to name your daughter?" Derek asked.

"Oh, um…. Alexis Prudence." Buffy said. "I liked Alexis and Prudence was the name of Phoebe and Piper's older sister. She was like my older sister, too."

"What happened?"

"A demon assassin killed her. She was a Charmed One before she died and then Paige came along."

"And Angel…. I thought vampires couldn't have children."

"You remember how I told you I went to hell and back for him?" Derek nodded. "Well, the Powers That Be didn't want me turning evil in the process, so they gave me a pregnancy that was supposed to have happened along time ago when Angel was human for a day. It's a long, long story."

"I hope that I'll get to hear all of it one day."

"Sure. Maybe after Alexis is born, we can all have a play date. You and your son and Piper and Wyatt."

"That would be nice. That's if they succeed."

"Trust me. They'll succeed."

Just then, Paige and Angel orbed into the living room. Piper and Phoebe weren't with them and Paige was holding the baby. Wyatt laughed and he orbed into the playpen. The baby laughed and shimmered into the playpen as well. Buffy and Derek stood up and Derek went to lean over the playpen and stare at his son playing with Wyatt. Angel walked over to Buffy and silently put his arm around her shoulders. Buffy was about to ask where Piper and Phoebe were, but Piper walked into the room pushing a stroller with a package on it.

"Here are some clothes and a stroller." She said.

"You don't mind?" Derek ased.

"No, not at all. Wyatt has outgrown it all, and I don't see myself having more kids anytime soon…. And Buffy's having a girl, so she won't need boy clothes. So…. enjoy."

"Thanks for everything. I just…. I wish there was something I could do for you."

"Well, you could tell us your name." Paige said. "I mean, unless you prefer being called 'the beast'?"

"Derek." Buffy said. "His name is Derek."

"It's nice to meet you, Derek." Piper said.

Angel looked at the baby. "What's his name?"

"I never gave him one. Actually, I never…. I never had the chance."

"Well, now you do." Buffy said.

"Well, I guess I should be going. That is if I can pry him away from Wyatt."

"Yeah. Good luck." Piper said. As if on cue, the baby shimmered out of the playpen and into the stroller, eager to get home with his dad.

"That is cute." Paige said before the phone rang. "I'll get it."

"Uh, you know, if you ever need us to bind his powers…." Piper offered.

"No. I mean, thanks. That's really sweet, but it's not necessary. He's a good boy, so…. It's just up to me to make sure he stays that way."

"In that case, he's in good hands." Buffy said.

"Well, take care." Piper said as Derek picked up the package.

"You, too." Derek said, pushing the stroller out of the room.

Paige walked back into the room, holding the phone and groaning. She looked sheepishly at Piper.

"What? What'd you do?"

"I kinda forgot to reverse the spell I put on Darryl."

"Where's Phoebe?" Buffy asked.

"She had to go talk to Jason." Piper said. "Are you ok?"

"Oh, I'm fine. I'm ready to take a nap, though."

"Say no more." Angel said, lifting her in his arms.

"Good night guys." Buffy said, waving over Angel's shoulders as he carried her upstairs.


	29. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

Buffy and Angel were sitting in the attic going through a catalogue of baby furniture when the door burst open and Paige, Piper, Phoebe, Chris, and Leo marched in. Chris looked a little sick. "Where's Wyatt?" Piper asked.

"Sleeping." Buffy said before looking at Chris. "What's wrong with you?"

"He was attacked by the leather queen." Phoebe said. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm better. The nausea finally went away." Buffy looked at Piper. "Don't cook with that much basil until Alexis is thirteen. I didn't think I was going to recover from that."

"Sorry." Piper said. "I forgot how sensitive your nose can get when you're pregnant."

Paige flipped through the Book of Shadows and pointed to a mark in the drawing of a demon. "Is that the mark?"

Piper walked over to see. "No, it looked more like a bird."

"A bird? So you're saying maybe the Audubon society sent the demon after us?"

"Just keep looking." Piper plopped herself on the chair in the corner of the attic while Phoebe sat down on the couch on Buffy's free side.

Chris paced the floor. "Guys, I'm telling you, I'm fine. Don't sweat it."

"You sure she wasn't a Darklighter?" Leo asked.

"I'm sure." Piper said.

"What else would be after a Whitelighter?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know. That's what worries me."

"She's gone." Chris said. "Piper blew her away. What's the big deal?"

"The big deal is someone tried to kill you, Chris." Piper said.

"Look at me. Not a scratch. Nothing."

"Yeah, how did she get that close to you anyway, if you didn't even know who she was?"

Chris resumed his pacing and stepped on a squeaky floorboard. "You really ought to fix that, you know."

"Come on, Chris. Who's after you?"

"Has it crossed your mind that maybe she wasn't after me? Maybe she was trying to get to them. Or to Buffy and the baby."

"Kind of makes sense." Paige said.

"Finally! Somebody's listening to me. Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some work to take care of." Chris walked out of the attic.

"He's not telling the truth." Angel said.

"Maybe there's nothing to tell." Paige said.

Buffy looked at Phoebe. "Could you sense anything?"

"From Chris?" Phoebe asked. Buffy nodded. "No, I can never sense anything from him."

"What are you thinking?" Piper asked Leo.

"I'm thinking that if we figure out who she was, we might be able to figure out who Chris is."

"Well, we're not gonna find it in here," Paige slammed the Book shut. "At least not until we have more to go on, so you guys know where I'm gonna be if you need me."

"Yeah. I gotta go, too." Phoebe said.

Leo watched the two of them walk out of the attic in amazement. "Wait, you're just gonna let 'em go?"

"What do you want me to say?" Piper asked. "They have lives, too. Besides, what more can we do?"

"Well, we can try and figure out who the demon is and make sure nobody else is after him." The doorbell rang and Piper stood up. "I'll get it. You just keep checking out the book, ok?" He orbed out before anyone could stop him.

"Ah, crap."

"Greg?" Buffy asked. Piper nodded and headed out of the attic. Buffy jumped up. "I've so got to see this!"

"Yeah, is Piper home?" They heard Greg ask as they followed Piper downstairs.

"Uh, who's asking?" Leo asked.

"I'm Greg. She's expecting me."

"Leo, I got it." Piper said. "Sorry. I'm running a little late."

Piper grabbed her bag and jacket as she headed out the front door. Greg gave her a kiss on the cheek. "Leo, as in your…."

"Yeah. One and the same. Leo, Greg. Greg, Leo."

"Nice to finally meet you." They shook hands.

"Thanks. Finally."

Piper looked at Buffy. "So, are you gonna be ok taking care of everything…. Wyatt…. And now Chris?"

"Yeah. Of course." Buffy said.

"Hey Angel. Hey Buffy." Greg said, waving. "It's nice to see you guys again. Buffy, you're beautiful as ever."

"Thanks Greg."

"So, you're due….?"

"13 more weeks."

"Can't wait to meet her."

"Me either. And if anything comes up, Piper, we'll call you."

"Ok. Thanks. Good night." Piper waved as they walked out.

Leo closed the door slowly behind them and glared up at Buffy. "What?" She asked.

"Why didn't you tell me about him?" Leo asked.

"Because it's none of your business?" Buffy asked hopefully.

"Buffy…."

"I didn't know how to tell you. 'Hey, you're wife is dating someone else' doesn't have a very nice ring to it."

"I've got to go…. Check on things with Chris." Leo orbed out.

"Oh, he's not happy."

"I wouldn't be either if you were dating someone else." Angel said.

"Yeah, well…. Point taken. Let's go check on Wyatt and head back upstairs."

Paige orbed into the conservatory where Leo, Buffy, and Wyatt were sitting with the open Book of Shadows on the table in front of them. Angel was upstairs still asleep. Leo had just called Paige to tell her what he'd found. He'd woken up Buffy by jingling at her until she woke up and came downstairs.

"Paige, when I said I needed you, I meant a fully-clothed you." Leo said.

"Oh, please, Leo, what's the big emergency?" Paige asked.

"What would you say if I told you whoever attacked Chris was called a Phoenix?"

"Well, I would say, 'what's a Phoenix' and then you'd probably tell me."

"They're a family of assassin witches who are very elite, very powerful, and who were born with a distinct birthmark symbolizing their rise from Salem's ashes."

"Well, does the book say what they want?"

Leo pushed the book toward Paige to look at the write-up. "Just whatever bounty they're after."

"Which is Chris." Buffy said. "Meaning they're still after him, and they won't stop until they succeed. Basically, they're the all-girls version of the Order of Taraka."

"Did you call Phoebe and Piper?" Paige asked.

"No, Phoebe's at work, and Piper came in kind of late, so I didn't want to disturb her."

"Oh!" Paige looked at Buffy. "Did she, um, come home alone?"

"Yes, she did." Buffy said.

Just then, Piper walked in dressed in her robe. "Hey! Talking about me?"

"Morning. Hi. No. Uh…." Leo stood up and carried Wyatt over to Piper. "Listen, Wyatt's been fed. And I'm gonna get some coffee and Paige and Buffy will fill you in." Leo hurried out of the room.

Piper gave Buffy and Paige a look. "What's going on?"

"Leo just found out that a coven of assassin witches called the Phoenix are after Chris." Buffy said.

"So that's what you guys were talking about?"

"Yeah, in the beginning, and then I just kind of asked if you'd maybe come home with anybody."

"I see."

"Did you?" Piper glared. "Oh, come on. If a girl can't ask that, what can a girl ask?"

"Actually, no."

"I'm sorry. Maybe he's just not the right guy."

"No, it's not Greg. It's just me. It's just weird now that I'm a mom. I feel like I'm betraying Wyatt somehow."

"I think you're just betraying yourself."

"Yeah. I know. It's just weird. So, uh, coven of assassin witches."

"Maybe we should call Phoebe." Buffy suggested.

"No." Paige said. "I think we can do this by ourselves. I don't think you have to bother her."

"Well, what if we need the Power of Three after we find them?" Piper asked.

"You didn't need the power of three to blow up the last one."

"No, but…."

"So, we need to try out this whole Power of Two thing, learn how to be flexible, right? So, you guys stay here. I'm gonna go get the scrying crystal."

Piper turned to Buffy. "Angel still asleep?"

"Knocked out cold. I kinda kept him up late." Buffy said.

"I thought he didn't need to sleep that much."

"No, but he's gotten lazy. I mean, he spends most of his time here with me since no one will let me go out and do my job, so he doesn't go out and do his job either. We've kinda left that to you guys."

"And we don't mind at all. You just get that little girl into this world safe and sound…. And in one piece."

"Trying to."

Buffy, Angel, Piper, Paige, Phoebe, and Leo were sitting around the living room talking about Piper and Paige's encounter with the Phoenix Assassin they'd discovered. "Wait. How old is the little girl?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. Four? Five?" Piper said.

Chris orbed into the room and promptly fell to the floor. "Chris!" Paige cried. They rushed over to him and Paige turned him over, but he was nearly delirious.

"Bianca…." He mumbled.

"Get him on the couch." Buffy said, getting up. Angel helped pick Chris up and lay him on the couch. Leo opened Chris's shirt to reveal a very large, infected wound on his chest.

"Oh, my god. What is that?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know." Leo said.

"Doesn't matter. Just heal him." Piper said.

Leo put his hands on Chris to heal him. "Why didn't he tell us about that?" Buffy asked.

"Why doesn't he tell us about a lot of things?" Piper said. "What's the problem?"

"He's not healing." Leo said. "Something's draining his powers and blocking mine. It's like a virus."

"A virus named Bianca." Paige said.

"You think she did this?" Phoebe asked.

"It's gotta be." Piper said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't explain why she would come back from the future just to kill him." Buffy said.

"Well, somebody had to have sent her. She's a hired gun." Angel said.

"We have to find her to save him, figure out what she did…."

"Whoa." Phoebe moved forward and knelt next to Chris on the couch.

"What is it?" Leo asked.

"Oh, my god. He loves her."

"Loves who? Bianca?" Paige asked.

"Yeah. She broke his heart." Phoebe looked down at his hand and saw that he was holding something. She reached out and removed it from his grasp. "Engagement ring."

"Obviously an acrimonious split." Paige said.

"Well, at least we have something to scry for her now." Piper said, taking the ring. "You guys work on the vanquishing potion in case she's not in the mood to help. Buffy, you stay put and stay out of trouble."

Everyone walked out of the room leaving Buffy, Angel, and Leo with Chris. "Bianca. Bianca." Chris mumbled. He was far off into the future, remembering.

"_Welcome to the Halliwell Memorial Museum, a tribute to magic, and, of course, the Charmed Ones and their cousin the Slayer, Buffy Summers. Please remember there is no digi-capturing, no holographing, and most certainly, no magic allowed while inside the museum. That's a big one. Don't worry about those probes, folks. They are merely scanning for witches. Now, as we pass through the foyer, note the family portraits hanging on the walls which date all the way back to the witch trials, including one of the grand matriarch herself, Melinda Warren, the woman who literally gave birth to the storied legacy…." After the main group walked by the probes, Chris and Bianca trailed behind. With a wave of his hand, Chris moved the probes away from them to scan the mannequin in the corner._

"_Nicely done." Bianca said._

_The tour continued into the living room. The furniture had been removed and replaced with various displays set up with mannequins wearing costumes that the Charmed Ones and Buffy had worn at one point. "Around you, you'll notice just a few of the many mythological creatures the legendary sisters transformed into in their demon-fighting heyday. Actually, the Charmed Ones alone were responsible for well over 1,000 demon vanquishes before they were finally vanquished themselves. Buffy herself was responsible for over 2,000 demon and vampire kills before her husband, the infamous Angelus, changed her." The tour guide hit a control and the lights dimmed. "Now, the time is 25 years ago. Imagine yourselves standing here on this very floor when The Charmed Ones were reborn." A large holographic screen appeared and showed the moment that Paige became a Charmed One._

_Bright lights from above the main hall shone down on Paige, Piper, and Phoebe, consecrating them The Charmed Ones again while Buffy and Leo looked on. When the light died, Paige let go of their hands._

"_Ok. What was that?"_

"_I think that means you're supposed to be here." Buffy said, smiling up at Leo._

_The front door crashed open and Shax entered the house, pushing the girls to the floor. The sight of him on screen scareed the people in the tour group. _

_The guide smiled and turned the hologram off. "Scares 'em every time. Ok, let's head over to the kitchen where many of the sisters' classic potions were brewed. Some of which are available for purchase in the gift shop on the way out. Of course, the attic was the preferred spot for potion-making, principally, because that's where kept the famed Book of Shadows which is where we're headed next. A little background on the manor itself. It was actually destroyed in the earthquake in 1906, but…." The group left, but Bianca and Chris lingered in the kitchen. _

_A demon appeared in the room behind them. "Hey, you two, move along."_

"_Wait for it." Bianca said. The demon stepped forward just as an athame appeared in her grip._

"_Are you deaf? I sa…."_

_As soon as he spoke, Bianca knew that he was right behind her. She turned and lethally slashed the demon with the athame. He went up in a wall of fire and smoke. For a moment, Chris was stunned at the viciousness and efficiency of the kill. Without a further thought about it, Bianca walked past him and headed for the basement door. "Come on." They ran down the stairs. When she reached the bottom, she alertly looked around still clutching the athame in her hand. "We should be safe here until the museum closes. Then, we'll go get the book. What's the matter?"_

"_Nothing." Chris said. "It's just…. Sometimes I forget who you really are."_

_Her entire demeanor softened. "Hey. Come here." She grabbed his hand and pulled him to his feet. "You mean who I used to be, Chris, before I met you."_

"_So…. What do we do now?"_

"_Hmm. We say good-bye." She unsnapped her shirt and took it off._


	30. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

Leo dabbed a damp cloth across Chris's forehead. "Hang on there, buddy."

"He'll be ok." Buffy said.

"We found Bianca." Piper said, walking in with Paige and Phoebe. "She's at her mother's."

"Little Bianca?" Leo asked.

"No, the one we want. Here. Something for Chris to remember her by. Or not." Piper handed the engagement ring to Leo. He looked at it for a long moment then slowly put it on the side.

"Got the vanquishing potion, so after we orb over there, I'm gonna…." Paige stopped. Buffy, Phoebe, Paige, and Piper all felt something go through them. Buffy shook it off and looked at Paige, waiting for her to continue.

"You're gonna….. What?" Leo prodded, turning to look at Paige.

"I'm gonna move into Richard's house."

"Are you? Good for you." Piper said.

"That's a great idea." Phoebe said. "And I think I'm gonna go check out what's going on in Hong Kong."

"Cool." Paige said.

"Wait. Hang on a second. This isn't you guys. You must be under some kind of spell. You have to fight this."

"How can you fight your heart?" Phoebe asked.

"Or your hormones?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Paige agreed.

"Will you drop me off on the way to Richard's?" Phoebe asked Paige.

"I would love to."

"Paige, Phoebe, listen to me."

"Zay jen!"

Paige orbed them both out of the room. Piper nodded a 'so there' to Leo, then turned and walked out of the room. Leo turned to Buffy. "And you?"

"I felt something go through me, but it didn't take."

"What didn't take?" Angel asked, walking into the room with a glass of water and a handful of prenatal vitamins.

"I think someone just put a spell on the girls and me."

"Really?"

"It told me to follow my desires."

"And it didn't take?"

"I've got everything I want."

"Paige! Phoebe!" Leo suddenly yelled. "Get back here right now! That's an order!"

Piper walked down the stairs dressed to go out. "Buffy, Wyatt's sleeping, and the monitor is in the kitchen."

Leo rushed toward her. "Ok, Piper, but you can't go anywhere. What about Chris?"

"Wish me luck!" Piper walked out of the house.

Bianca suddenly appeared next to Chris, but Buffy grabbed her. "I don't think so."

"I can't hurt you." Bianca said.

"Buffy!" Leo rushed up, but Bianca kicked him in the face.

Angel rushed up and Bianca went to kick him away too, but he grabbed her foot. "I don't think so."

Bianca pulled him forward with her leg and then kicked him back into the sunshine. Angel growled and threw himself back into the shadows. Bianca shimmered out of Buffy's grasp and shimmered back behind the couch. Before Buffy could stop her, Bianca put a hand on Chris's chest and shimmered them both out of the room.

"Damn it!" Buffy stomped her foot.

"Be calm, Buffy." Leo said, getting up and walking over to her.

"No! I had her, but…."

"It's not your fault." Angel said, walking over.

"I had her and she…."

"Shimmered away." Leo said.

"You couldn't do anything." Angel said.

"We need to break that spell on them and get Chris back." Buffy said, heading upstairs.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked.

"Getting a little assistance." Buffy walked into the attic and set up candles in their proper places. She went over to the book and opened it. "'Here these words. Hear my cry spirit from the other side. Come to me, I summon thee. Cross now the Great Divide!" A form shimmered in the middle of the candles and then Grams was standing there.

"Buffy! Oh my darling, you're a natural." Grams said.

Buffy smiled. "Hi Grams. I need your help."

"I'll do what I can."

"I need a spell reversed. Someone cast a spell on me, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige and now those three are off fulfilling their hearts' desires and we need them to stop and focus on getting our Whitelighter back."

"How do you know it's their hearts' desires?"

"Because when the spell went through me, that's what it wanted me to do. But I'm happy with everything right now."

Grams stepped out of the circle of candles, becoming solid, and went over to the book. She waved a hand over it and the pages turned by themselves to the spell she wanted. "Here. Leo, you and Angel go get these ingredients. Buffy, you just sit back, relax, and watch an old pro."

Paige and Richard were in bed, under the blankets, and very, very, very occupied when Buffy orbed in. Leo had gone to get Piper and sent Buffy after Paige and Phoebe. "Hi. How's it going?" Buffy said.

"What are you doing here?" Paige asked.

Buffy looked around the room at Paige's clothes and picked them up. "Moving you back home." She threw the potion at the headboard above Paige and the vial broke. A blue-white glow counteracted the Inhibition Spell and Paige looked around in confusion. "No time to explain." She tossed her cousin her clothes. "Come on. We gotta get Phoebe, or we're never gonna get Chris back."

"You really expect me to jump into this thing like before?" Chris asked Bianca. They were back at her mother's condo.

"Not without a fight, no." Bianca said.

Chris sighed and stepped away from her. He took a few steps toward the window, then turned to look accusingly at her. "How can you be so cold? How can you just stand there and pretend like we never meant anything to each other?"

"I don't have a choice."

"Bianca….. Please don't do this. Don't give up on everything that we fought for."

For a brief moment, her cold demeanor slipped. "I'm not. I'm just hoping we can find another way." She looked away and when she looked back at Chris, she was all business again. "Ready?"

Just then, Paige, Phoebe, Buffy, and Piper orbed into the room. "Hey! Future girl." Buffy called. Bianca turned around and Buffy threw a vial at her. An athame appeared in Bianca's hand and she hurled it toward Buffy and shimmered out in one smooth move. The athame broke the vial mid-air on its path to Buffy and Buffy grabbed the athame out of the air just as Bianca shimmered in front of her.

She grabbed the athame out of Buffy's hands, turned around, and held it against Buffy's swollen belly.

"You were saying?" Bianca said.

"Wow. She is good." Phoebe said. Paige took a step forward, but Piper stopped her.

"I can kill her and the baby in half the time it takes you to even think about it."

"Yeah, well, we still have enough potion to vanquish you." Paige said.

"Maybe. Now, put the vials down slowly."

Piper, Paige, and Phoebe put the vials down on the floor. "Bianca, don't." Chris said. "Let her go, and I promise I'll go with you."

"Chris, what are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"If you kill her, there won't be a future for either one of us to go back to, and you know it."

"What are you talking about?" Phoebe asked.

"You'll see if you live long enough." Bianca said.

Bianca let Buffy go and she stepped back toward the wall. "Piper, freeze them!" Buffy said.

Piper froze the room, but Bianca just turned around and pulled a not-frozen Chris towards her. "Ok, I get why she didn't freeze, but why didn't he freeze?"

"Unless he's…. he's a…." Phoebe couldn't finish.

"I'm a witch, too." Chris said. "That's right. Part witch, part whitelighter. Just like you, Paige."

"You lied to us?" Paige asked.

"I had to. It was the only way I could get you to trust me."

"Trust you?" Phoebe cried.

"Never mind. It doesn't matter anyway."

"So that's it? You're just gonna leave?" Piper asked.

"I don't have a choice. She's stripped my powers. Looks like Leo's gonna have to fix that floorboard without me." After he made sure the got the cryptic message, he turned to Bianca. "Let's go." With a wave of her hand, the portal opened. They turned to walk through the portal.

The portal in the attic opened and Bianca and Chris walked out of the portal in their world only to be greeted by a half dozen demons waiting for them.

"Welcome home, Chris." The demons stepped away to reveal Chris's older brother.

"Hello, Wyatt." Chris said.

The two men glared at each other, neither one backing down from the other. Then a petite blonde stepped out from behind her nephew and smiled. "Welcome back, Chris. We've missed you."

"Aunt Buffy."

"What," Angelus stepped out from behind the demons. "No greeting for your uncle?"

"Where's Alex?"

"She's around." Buffy said.

"Hey cuz," A beautiful voice said behind him as a small hand slid around his shoulders. Alexis was strong enough to crush him without even thinking about straining herself. She'd gotten everything that a Slayer and a vampire was and then some. She and Wyatt had been best friends growing up and she'd learned everything about magic that he knew. When Wyatt had gone bad, she hadn't even hesitated going with him. It had been her idea to turn her father back into Angelus.

Wyatt walked across the attic and stepped on the squeaky floorboard. "They're no threat to me." He said to the demons. One by one, they shimmered out of the room. "Et tu, Chris? Of all the people to betray me."

"I didn't go back to betray you, Wyatt. I went back to save you."

"Save me? Ha. From what?"

"From whatever evil it was that turned you."

"That's always been your problem, Chris. Stuck in the old good-versus-evil morass. I'm so past that. It's all about power. It's as simple as that."

"And whoever has the most power wins. Is that it?"

"That's it. That's why I keep this museum intact. To remind everyone the power from which I was born and that which I possess."

"Too bad the rest of the city isn't faring as well as your little shrine here."

"You know, if anyone else tried what you tried, I'd kill them on the spot. But you…. I've forgiven Bianca. I can forgive you, too, if you promise never to cross me again."

"I think you know me better than that."

Alex said to Bianca. "I thought you said you could talk some sense into him."

"Leave her out of this."

Wyatt raised his hand and slowly made a fist, cutting off Chris's air supply. Alex patted him on the back and walked over to stand with her parents as Chris started to choke. He slowly sank to his knees, both hands clutching his throat as he gasps for air.

"Pardon me?" Wyatt asked. With a wave of his hand, Wyatt tossed Chris aside and into the wall.

"Chris!" Bianca cried.

Phoebe and Paige stood in front of the Book of Shadows flipping pages and searching for anything to help. Leo paced the attic floor while Piper sat in a chair thinking. Angel and Buffy were sitting on the couch watching everything as only they could.

"There's gotta be a spell in here somewhere." Phoebe said.

"To take us to the future? I don't think so." Paige said.

"Well, Bianca's a witch. She could do it."

"How could she do it? We don't know how."

"How did we do it five years ago?" Piper asked Leo.

"The Elders made that happen, remember?" Leo said.

"Well, you're an Elder. Make it happen." Buffy said.

"That was a unique situation."

"And this isn't?" Paige asked.

"Hey, I don't like this either. Don't you think I want to save him, too?"

"I don't know if I want to save him or kick his ass." Phoebe said.

"It still doesn't change all the good he's done."

"You're certainly singing a different tune. You've come a long way, baby." Paige said.

"Ok, despite all his secrets, I still believe that he came back to protect Wyatt, and that is enough for me to want to save him."

"The question is 'how?'" Angel said.

Leo paced the floor trying to think of a way. Every time he passed over one spot, the floorboard squeaked. "Leo." Buffy said. Leo turned around and stepped on the squeaky floorboard again.

"What?" Leo asked.

"'Fix the floorboard.'" Phoebe said, catching on.

"Maybe he was trying to tell us something." Paige said.

"Who? What?" Leo asked.

"Maybe." Piper said.

"Maybe that's where Bianca was taking him." Buffy said. "To the attic in the future."

"But that would still be there in the future, wouldn't it?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, unless we fixed it." Paige said.

"Or used it to send him something." Buffy said. "Something that he needed."

"Like what?" Phoebe asked.

"His powers." Paige said. She grabbed a pen and a slip of paper and turned through the pages of the Book.

"Hurry! Hurry! Hurry!" Phoebe said.

"I'm trying. I'm trying!" Paige said. "Here." She handed the paper to Phoebe.

"Ok. Here you go." Phoebe passed the folded piece of paper to Piper who put a rubber band around it. Leo lifted the floorboard for her to toss the spell inside.

"Got it." Leo said.

"Quick. Put it back."

Leo snapped the floorboard back into place and covered it with the carpet.

Chris crashed into the table in the attic. Without his powers, he was just vulnerable to do anything, but take the beating. Bianca angrily walked up to Wyatt. "You promised you wouldn't hurt him!"

"And you promised you'd turn him, just like I turned you. At least, I thought I had." Wyatt said. He glanced at Buffy and she stepped in Bianca's way as she ran to help Chris.

"He's not going to kill him." Buffy said, kicking Bianca back into Angelus' arms.

"He's just going to teach him a lesson." Angelus said, holding on to Bianaca.

"Ah, Chris." Alex said, standing next to Wyatt. "You shoulda taken lessons with my mom, too."

"Chris…. Please!" Bianca cried, struggling against Angelus. "I didn't bring you here to die." She started to shimmer, but Alex punched her hard, disorienting her.

"Don't even think about it."

"I know what I'm doing." Chris said.

"Doubt that."

Chris got to his feet, let out a raging war cry, and ran to tackle Wyatt. Wyatt easily tossed Chris into the tables on the side. "Have you lost your mind?" Wyatt asked. He raised his hand, slowly lifting Chris telekinetically up off the floor toward the ceiling and choking him at the same time. "I don't…. Need you." In his other hand, Wyatt powered up an energy ball.

Unable to bear it any longer and taking advantage of everyone's attention being on Chris, Bianca shimmered away from Angelus and attacked Wyatt from behind, her hand sinking deep into his back, paralyzing him where he stood. Wyatt struggled against her, releasing his hold on Chris. Chris fell to the attic floor with a crash.

"Whatever you're gonna do, do it fast. I can't hold him for long." Bianca said.

Chris got to his feet and scrambled for the squeaky floorboard. Alex started to grab him, but Bianca materialized an athame and threw it at her. It hit her in the left shoulder and blood started gushing from the stabbed artery. Buffy screamed and rushed over to her daughter. Angelus went to attack Bianca, but she threw an energy ball at him and he went up in flames.

Chris managed to push the carpet aside and lift up the squeaky board. Inside, as he knew it would be, was the spell. He unfolded it, dust and dirt falling from the aged paper, and read, "Power of witches rise, come to me from across the skies. Return my magic, give me back all that was taken from the attack!" He glowed blueish-white as his power infused back to him.

At that moment, Wyatt freed himself from Bianca's hold. Without turning around, he reverse kicked her, sending her flying across the room toward the broken table. He helped Buffy to her feet, moving her away from a now dead Alex, and they moved towards Chris. Wyatt had tears in his eyes at the loss of Alex, but he wouldn't let them fall until the wrong was righted.

Chris, seeing Bianca impaled on the broken table leg, lashed out at Wyatt. The force of the blow sent Wyatt crashing high up against the wall. Wyatt fell to the floor, out cold for the time being. Buffy went over to her nephew to check on him as Chris rushed to kneel by Bianca's side. "Bianca! No. No. No. No."

"Haven't we been here before?" Bianca said.

"Maybe we will be again."

"Maybe." Chris whimpered helplessly and rested his forehead on her shoulder. Bianca reached for his hand and handed her engagement ring back to him. "If you can finish what we started…. Hurry." Chris glanced back to see Wyatt moving and Buffy standing up to attack Chris. "Take the spell so he can't send anyone else. Go!"

Chris ran to the Book of Shadows, tossing Buffy away from him with his powers and out into the hallway. Wyatt raised his head and saw Chris flipping through the Book. He slowly got to his feet as Chris started chanting. "Hear these words. Hear the rhyme." With deadly intent, Wyatt pulled back his hand and powered up an energy ball. "Heed the hope within my mind." Wyatt hurled the energy ball at Chris who looked up and quickly ducked to the side. "Send me back to where I'll find what I wish in place and time." The triquetra on the attic wall glowed and the portal opened. Wyatt got to his feet just as Buffy came back in the attic. Chris grabbed the spell from the book, tearing it out from the binding, and dove into the portal. He flew out from the wall landing hard on the floor just behind Leo. "Ow."

"Oh, my god. Are you ok?" Buffy asked, helping Chris to stand up.

"Yeah. I'm fine. Nice spell."

"But we just put it in there, like, two seconds ago." Phoebe said.

"Well, you see, the way time travel works…." Leo started.

"Yeah, I don't wanna know. I already have a little headache, thanks."

"You have some serious explaining to do, young man." Piper said.

"I know." Chris said. "Listen, I'm sorry I lied to you. I really am, but…."

"No! No buts. It's about time you tell us the truth. Now."

"I can't. But not because I don't want to, but because there's only so much I can tell you without the future being changed too much."

"Um, isn't that your whole point? To come and change the future?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, but that was supposed to be more like a surgical strike."

"To save Wyatt." Leo said.

"To save Wyatt.

"What about Bianca?" Angel asked.

"Bianca won't be a threat to anyone anymore."

"I'm sorry." Buffy said, touching his arm gently.

"Me, too. So you guys still all right with me hanging around here?"

Leo looked at the girls and Angel, then answered for all of them. "Absolutely. But the next time you're in trouble, you've got to tell us. Trust works both ways."

"Ok." Chris turned and left the attic.

Piper walked into the dining room where Phoebe and Paige were already there waiting for her. "What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

Piper took a seat at the head of the table. "Uh, well, I've been thinking."

"Uh-oh. Does that mean I'm in trouble?" Paige asked.

"I think it's time we make some changes around here."

"What kind of changes?" Phoebe asked.

"Like I think you should move to Hong Kong with Jason, and you should move in with Richard."

"I never said I wanted that." Paige said.

"You didn't have to. The spell did that for you." Piper looked at Phoebe. "And you, too."

"Well, we can't leave you alone. We have to stick together." Phoebe said.

"No, I know. Believe me, I know. But you can't keep sacrificing your lives forever. And neither can I. Mom did that. Grams did it, and even Prue, and look what happened to them. It's not a legacy I want us to inherit. Besides, Buffy and Angel will still be here."

"What if it doesn't work out, us going our separate ways?" Paige asked.

"Well, we'll worry about it then."

"You sure about this?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. I am."

Phoebe reached out and held Piper's hand. Paige reached out and held Piper's other hand. Buffy walked in from the kitchen eating out of a pint of Hagan-Daz. "You told them?" She asked Piper.

"Yep." Piper said.

"You two better be here when Alex is born. It's not far off now."

Phoebe got up and hugged Buffy tightly. "Oh, I'm so not missing that."

Paige put her arms around Phoebe and Buffy. "I won't either. We're your midwives after all." Buffy sniffled and hugged her cousins tighter to her.


	31. Chapter 31

Chapter 31

Phoebe, Jason, Paige, Richard, Buffy, and Angel sat around the dining table after dinner talking. "Ok. This has been really fun, guys." Paige said. "But Phoebe actually brought us here tonight to say something, didn't you, Phoebe?"

"No. No." Phoebe said. "I…. I just think that we don't get to see enough of each other, that's all."

"Might be a little longer, too, seeing as we're off to Paris in the morning." Jason said.

"Yeah. About that French merger…." Paige tried again.

"Oh, Hong Kong, Rome, gay Pa-ree. It's enough to send a girl's head spinning, you know?" Phoebe said.

"But wasn't there something you really wanted to say about…."

"Uh, you must have great business karma." Richard said before Phoebe could talk.

"Oh, karma? I don't believe in that stuff." Jason said.

"Not at all?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I mean, you know, somebody cuts me off on the road, uh, I'd like to think they're gonna get what's coming to them, if that's what you mean."

"That's karma." Richard said. "The great cosmic justice system. You reap what you sow."

"Great. Fabulous." Paige said. "Anyway, Phoebe…." She kicked her older sister under the table.

"Ow! Uh, ok. All right. Uh….. Jason, there is something that I want to share…. With you right now. And, uh, that…. Would be…. A toast." Phoebe picked up her glass. "A toast to your merger." They toasted and Phoebe emptied her drink.

"Phoebe, would you help me? With the cobbler?" Paige asked.

Phoebe put her glass down and picked up the dinner plates. Buffy started to help, but Phoebe waved her down as she and Paige left the table.

"Uh, am I missing something?" Jason asked Buffy.

"I, uh…. I'm not sure." Buffy said. She looked at Angel.

He shrugged. "No clue. You two are the ones who practically know what the other's thinking."

"Yeah, well, I haven't exactly seen her in a few weeks."

"That's my fault." Jason said. "But I promise you, she will be here for the birth. And speaking of, where is she?"

"I'll check on them." Richard stood up and headed into the kitchen.

A minute later, Leo walked into the dining room carrying the cobbler and a coffee pot. "Leo?" Buffy asked. "What are you doing here?"

"Uh, just bringing dessert. You want some?" Leo said, heading toward the table.

Richard pointed back at the kitchen as he came out. "The girls are just tidying up."

"Leo, I'm glad you're here. Angel can serve the cobbler. Can you come help me get something off a shelf downstairs?" Buffy asked.

"Sure." Leo looked a little confused, but he followed her into the kitchen anyway.

"So, the kitchen's empty. Where'd they go?"

"They're after that swarm demon Piper took on by herself."

"Why didn't you come get me?"

"Because you're six weeks from your due date. You don't need to go chasing after demons."

"God, I am _so_ bored! I need something to do."

"Well, slaying isn't an option."

"I know that. I know! Everyone's force feeding that down my throat. I am so tired of not being able to help out."

"You help."

"I don't help. I sit around and watch my cousins go off and do my job. I miss it Leo."

"I know. It won't be much longer."

"Right. Because she'll come out of the womb fully grown and not be entirely dependent on me."

"Touché."

"Well, why don't you ask Jason for a job?"

"Doing what?"

"Helping Phoebe with her column. I mean, you two don't even have to talk to communicate. You'd be good at it."

"I don't know. Maybe. But how would Phoebe take it?"

"Only one way to find out."

Jason walked into the kitchen. "Hey, Phoebe, what's taking you so long?" Richard was following closely behind with Angel. "What…. Where'd they go?"

"Uh, must be an emergency or something." Angel suggested.

"Yeah. They had to go pick up Piper." Buffy lied.

"She ran out of gas." Leo added.

"Paige couldn't have gone by herself?" Jason asked.

"She had wine and she's a light weight." Buffy said. "So, Phoebe…. Being the not-so-light-weight and all…. Drove."

"It's always some emergency or some phone call or some marathon pee break. What's going on?"

Leo and Buffy exchanged looks and they both shrugged. Just then, the girls orbed into the middle of the kitchen. The first thing they saw was Jason. His eyes rolled to the back of his head as he passed out.

"Oops." Piper said.

Buffy stood behind Phoebe as she regretfully looked out the front door watching the lights and listening to the screeching tires of the speeding car that Jason occupied. Phoebe sighed and closed the door behind her. She allowed Buffy to hold her for a long moment before they walked into the living room. Piper was on the couch while Leo healed her wounded forehead. Angel was standing in the doorway to the conservatory and Paige was sitting on a chair. Over the baby monitor, Wyatt had woken up and was cooing.

"I think I better go check on Wyatt." Leo got up and left the room as Phoebe and Buffy sat on the sofa next to Piper.

Phoebe laid her head on Buffy's shoulder miserably. "I've never seen him like that. He looked at me like he had no idea who I was."

"He doesn't know you. Not the witch you, anyway." Buffy said, stroking Phoebe's hair comfortingly.

"He's just gonna need some time." Piper added.

"Why didn't I just tell him?" Phoebe pointed at Paige. "And no 'I told you sos.'"

"We all make little mistakes, honey." Paige said.

"This was a very big mistake. I can't imagine how he's feeling right now, what he's going through."

"The good new is it's out in the open now, and you guys have no more secrets." Angel said.

Richard walked into the room. "Food's away, table's cleared. Is there anything else I can do?"

"No. Thank you." Paige said.

"Hey, I feel awful." Richard said to Phoebe. "I'm sorry about what happened."

"It's not your fault." Phoebe said.

"Well, actually, it is."

"Why, did you shove Jason into the kitchen?" Piper asked.

"No, but my karma did. I'm serious. I'm convinced I'm carrying around the burden of my family's karma. We did so much bad with magic, now magic's doing bad to me and those I care about."

"Now, that is completely ridiculous." Paige said.

"The feud has lasted for decades in my family, and so many people were hurt in the crossfire. I mean, somebody's gotta inherit that bad karma, right?"

"That's not really how karma works." Piper said.

"You live a double life with your boyfriend, and you pay the price." Phoebe said. "If anyone's karma made this happen, it's mine."

"That's true." Paige said. "You had the chance to clean this up tonight, and you didn't."

"See? There's that 'I told you so,' huh?"

"Only to make a point."

"No, you're…. You're right. I've been avoiding conflict my whole life."

"What, and it just happened the night I was here?" Richard asked. "I mean, that's all I'm saying."

"Hey, you guys." Buffy said. "This mea culpa game is real fun and all, but we're not gonna solve anything."

"Those multiplying swarm demons, on the other hand…." Piper said.

"That's right, we riled 'em up, didn't we?" Paige said.

"Yeah, and if they attack right now, we won't know how to deal with them, so why don't you two and Phoebe hit the Book, and I'll catch up after I check on Wyatt."

Phoebe stayed sitting with Buffy on the couch. "Uh, would you guys mind if I sat this one out? I kind of feel like I need to go see Jason."

"Well, maybe after we…."

"No. We can handle it." Paige said.

"Ok." Phoebe got up from the couch to go see Jason.

"Want me to come with?" Buffy asked.

"No. I think this is something I need to do on my own."

"Ok." Buffy squeezed Phoebe's hand. "Good luck."

Angel waited until he heard the front door close before he looked at Buffy and asked, "Is she gonna be ok?"

"I hope so." Buffy stood up with a sigh. "I'm gonna go check on Paige and Richard. See if they need any help with anything."

"I'll come with." Angel stood up and followed her up.

When they reached the top of the stairs, they heard Paige say, "Every relationship is gonna have its challenges, right? Look at Buffy and Angel."

"What about them?" Richard asked. "They seem to be doing good."

"Yeah, but he's a vampire and she's a Vampire Slayer. And he could turn back into that bad ass vampire he used to be."

"His soul's bound, Paige."

"And what's to stop a warlock or demon from unbinding it? It's possible. And besides, if Willow dies, the binding comes off. Just like when Grams bound Phoebe, Piper, and Prue's powers. When she died, the binding came off."

"Maybe."

"And then look at Phoebe and Jason."

"I'm telling you, that was me."

"No, that was them not being truthful with each other, and as long as we are, we're gonna be fine."

"Fine would be if I could start over with a clean slate."

"You just be the wonderful person that you are, and it's gonna make up for all the bad things that your family ever did."

"Not in this lifetime. I wanna start over."

"It's not possible. If it were, everybody would do it."

"Look, everybody's not a powerful witch."

"Look, karma is the DNA of the universe. It's what balances everything out. You start screwing with that, you can mess up the entire cosmic order of things." Buffy and Angel decided to walk in at that moment. "Am I right?" She asked them.

"About?" Angel asked.

"If you mess with karma, it can mess up the entire cosmic order."

"It's true."

Richard looked at the potions table and walked toward it. "Maybe you can help me cast a spell."

"What part of 'no shortcuts' are you not getting?" Paige asked. "There's an Aura Cleanse, a Chakra Cleanse, but no Karma Cleanse. If it were possible to be cleansed, it would be in there. But there's no spell. It can't be done."

Piper walked into the attic. "Got anything?"

"Yeah. Let's see. They are distant relatives of Kazis and vampires, which means they come from a hive."

"I don't come from a hive." Angel said.

"Not your type of vampire." Buffy said.

Piper joined Paige in front of the Book of Shadows. "Did you even read this?"

"I skimmed it."

"So…. they were drones that we were killing. Well, no wonder they just kept coming back. It says you have to kill the king to kill the hive, which requires the Power of Three spell. I'll call Phoebe." Piper moved toward the door, but Paige stopped her.

"Hey, just slow down there, ok? Take it easy."

"Ok, you orb out and get Phoebe, and I'll start on the potion."

"Why don't we just track the leader down? You and I. That way, Phoebe and Jason can have a little bit of time alone, yeah?"

"Well, what if the swarm attacks before…."

"She's right." Buffy said. "Angel can go with you guys, just in case."

"Ok, fine. We'll locate the ruler first."

"Brilliant idea." Paige said. She looked at Richard. "Hey, can I orb you anywhere?"

"No, it's ok. I drove my car here."

"Ok. I'll see you soon." Paige, Piper, and Angel orbed out of the attic.

Buffy looked at Richard. "I guess I'm going to go hide in my room and watch TV."

"Ok. I'll make sure the door's locked behind me."

"Thanks." Buffy walked out of the attic and down to her room. Leo was coming out of Wyatt's room. "Hey."

"Hey." Leo said. "Where's Angel?"

"He went with Piper and Paige to find the swarm demon's leader."

"Oh. And you didn't go?"

"Shut up. I know I can't slay or demon hunt or any of that good stuff. I just don't like it."

Leo kissed her forehead. "Alex'll be here soon and you can get back to it."

"Yeah, yeah. Are you leaving?"

"I was going to stay and keep an eye on Wyatt, but if you're going to be here…." Buffy held out her hand and Leo placed the baby monitor in it. "Thanks. I'm going to go check with the other Elders and see if I can help with the swarm demons." Leo orbed out and Buffy went into her room.


	32. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Paige, Angel, and Piper orbed into the main hall looking absolutely exhausted. Buffy was sitting at the dining room table alone with three cups of coffee sitting in front of her. She smiled and pushed them towards the group. "I figured you guys might need these."

They walked over and sat down, each taking a cup.

"How many did we get, fifteen or sixteen?" Piper asked.

Paige let out a huge yawn as Angel said, "I don't know. I stopped counting at dawn."

"I'm gonna go crash." Paige said. "Actually, I'm gonna go check on Richard, and then I'm gonna go crash."

"But wait. We know where the King is now, so we gotta get Phoebe so we can go back and get him." Piper said.

"No! I am taking a hot bath and crawling into a nice warm bed."

"You know, living at Richard's mansion has made you soft." Buffy said.

"Oh, shush."

"I'm serious. What if this is the demon that gets to Wyatt?"

"Well, then it's all the more reason for us to be well-rested, right?"

Piper spotted a broken vase and flowers on the floor in the foyer. "What happened here?"

"I don't know." Buffy said, leaning back to look too. "That wasn't there last night."

Phoebe grandly glided down the stairs wearing lots and lots of scarves. "Bonjour. Bonjour."

"Bonjour?" Paige asked.

"What are you wearing?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, just a little something to help me win my boyfriend back. Showing a little skin never hurt." Phoebe said.

"Oh, I'll file that away." Paige said.

"I guess it didn't go so good with Jason last night?" Buffy asked.

"No, unfortunately." Phoebe said. "Je ne sais pas pourquoi."

"Since when do you speak freedom fry?"

"I don't know, actually. It's kinda weird, considering I hate the French."

"No, you don't. You love everything about France."

"I do? Oh, then maybe I just hate being dumped. All the more reason to go get him."

"Uh, just there's one thing." Piper said. "See, we kinda need The Power of Three for a vanquish. You know, to save your nephew's future and all."

"Yeah. Sorry. I can't. Au revoir." Phoebe flitted toward the front door. She opened the door and turned to look back at them. "Au revoir." She stepped out of the house and closed the door behind her.

Piper shook her head. "Please tell me she didn't…."

"Cast a spell on herself?" Paige finished.

"I think she did." Buffy said.

"Let's go check the Book." Piper said. They all headed up to the attic. The Book of Shadows was open to the Aura Cleanse spell. "I'm confused. How does cleansing her aura get Jason back?"

"No, Phoebe didn't cast the spell. Richard did." Paige said.

"Richard wants Jason back?" Angel asked.

"No. Richard wants to cleanse his karma. Oh, my god. That's what he used the Book for. Damn it. I shouldn't have left him alone."

"That was my bad." Buffy said. "I left him alone with the Book. I'm sorry Paige. I didn't even think about it."

"It's ok. It's my fault. I should've made sure he left before I did."

"Wait a second. What does this have to do with Phoebe?" Angel asked.

"Karma is not something you mess with. Especially not magically. Whatever Richard did could've gone wonky and affected her somehow. I mean, there's always someone's unfinished karma just floating around out there, waiting to complete its cycle."

"What the hell are you talking about?" Piper asked.

"I'm talking about Richard screwing with the karmic wheel and Phoebe getting smacked down by it. She said it herself. She's been lying to Jason, living a double life. If that doesn't attract bad karma, I don't know what does."

"Someone's unfinished bad karma?" Buffy asked.

"Exactly. Except whose?"

"Well, I'd guess a French hooker, by the way she's been acting." Angel said.

"Or worse." She looked at Piper. "Ok, you go get Phoebe, I'll go get Richard."

"But what if he's infected, too?" Angel asked.

"Well, I'll save him, and then I'll kill him." Paige walked out.

Piper looked at Buffy. "Ok, you're coming with me."

"I am?" Buffy asked.

"You'll be able to find Phoebe faster than me."

"Ok." Buffy jumped up, excited to have something to do finally. She kissed Angel and followed Piper out.

"Be careful." Angel called.

Jason grabbed Phoebe's arm in front of a room full of business people. "Phoebe, stop this."

She turned and pushed him away from her, causing him to fall to the floor. "You let go of me!"

"Are you trying to ruin me?"

"Oh, that's just the hors d'oeuvre. Wait until you see the entrée. It's to die for." Phoebe reached down to grab Jason, but Piper froze the room. Buffy and Piper looked around at the mess Phoebe had caused. They wove their way through the people, rapidly making their way toward the stage.

"Leo!" Piper called as she helped Buffy up on stage. "Leo! Leo!"

Leo orbed on stage and looked around at the mess. "Whoa."

"Yeah."

Leo finally noticed Phoebe. "Wh….why is Phoebe frozen?"

"That's not Phoebe." Buffy said.

"What do you mean?"

"Long story." Piper said. "Let's get out of here."

"What about all this?"

"Later. Later." Buffy grabbed Leo's arm and Piper grabbed his other arm and Phoebe and they orbed to the conservatory back at the Manor. Piper tossed Phoebe down onto a chair and then threw her something to wear. In the back of the room, Paige was reading through some books with Angel.

"Sit down and put this on." Piper ordered.

"I'm not finished with my revenge." Phoebe said.

"Sit, or I will freeze. We need to figure out whose karma you've got."

"Je ne fait pas ca."

"Ok. She's French. Bad karma." Buffy said. "Napoleon?"

"Probably not." Piper said.

"Phoebe's not our only problem." Leo said. "That entire auditorium saw her use magic."

"Well, we fix Phoebe first, and then we take care of the Swarm King, and if we're still alive after that, we'll worry about it then. Maybe you should go check on Wyatt and make sure he's ok."

"He's fine." Piper gave him a look. "Ok, I'll go check." He orbed out of the room.

Piper walked over to the Book of Shadows where Paige had left it and opened it. "I'll see if I can piece together a spell to de-karma Phoebe."

"Ok, what about, uh…. Marie Antoinette?" Paige asked. "Queen Isabella, the she-wolf of France?"

"Oh! Now you insult me. I can't stand France." Phoebe said.

"Vital clue there." Buffy said.

Paige started flipping through books. "Ok, let's see. Speaks French, hates the country, more than willing to strip in public…."

"Mata Hari." Angel said.

"Wasn't she one of the Bond girls?" Piper asked.

"No. She was an exotic stripper in Paris."

"And you would know this how?" Buffy asked.

"I know you!" Phoebe said, looking at Angel. "You came into my club. Angelus, oui?"

Angel ignored her. "She was Dutch-born and a double agent for Germany during World War I."

"You went to a strip club?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"I, uh…."

"What happened to her?" Piper asked.

"Mata Hari was convicted by French officials and executed by a firing squad."

"Well, no wonder she hates the French."

"Not half as much as I hate you for keeping me here. I need my freedom. I need my revenge." Phoebe said.

"What does her karma have to do with Phoebe?"

"Well, duplicitous, living a double life…." Paige said. "Ring any bells?"

"Enough!" Phoebe tossed the jacket aside and dramatically got to her feet.

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked as Phoebe headed for the front door.

"Au revoir."

Piper froze her and calmly walked over to stand in front of her with Buffy and Paige. She unfroze Phoebe. "Look, it's three against one, and you are not going any…." In the room behind them, two swarm demons appeared in the house. Paige knocked Buffy over to Angel, who caught her and moved her into the dining room before grabbing Phoebe and pulling her off to the side. The swarm demons threw their fire balls and one hit Piper in the shoulder.

She fell to the ground then immediately got up and blasted them. "Why am I always the one getting hit?"

Three more swarm demons appeared in the sitting room, their backs to the girls. Phoebe got up and shouted out to them, "Behind you!"

The swarm demons turned around and Piper blasted them. The two front demons ducked to the side while the third standing in the middle exploded. One demon threw his fireball at Piper, but she ducked and it missed her. Another demon appeared and threw his fireball at Paige. It grazed her shoulder.

A demon pointed to Phoebe. "Take her!" The demons left with Phoebe.

"Am I crazy, or is she trying to save them from us?" Paige asked.

"You're not crazy." Buffy said, walking back in with Angel holding the first aid kit. "She helped them out."

"What happened to you?" Piper asked Angel. He pointed at the sunlit conservatory. "Oh, sorry."

"Come on." Angel said. "Let's get you guys fixed."

They sat down on the couch and Buffy started working on Piper's wound while Angel took Paige's wound. "Ow." Paige said.

"Well, if you would just hold still." Piper said, wincing slightly as Buffy put on some antiseptic.

Buffy put on a bandage and smiled. "You're done."

"You know, we wouldn't even be in this mess if it weren't for Phoebe not being able to deal with conflict." Paige said.

"Actually, we wouldn't be in this mess if your boyfriend could handle his magic." Piper said.

"Maybe we should just focus on how to save Phoebe."

"Well, we could storm the hive, but then again, she'd probably just help them stop us." Angel said.

"Oh, that's just Mata Hari coming through using whoever she can to exact her revenge."

"But against who?" Buffy asked. "The men who put her to death are long gone, and besides, doesn't her real karma eventually lead to her own self-destruction anyway?"

"Well, that's why we need to figure out why she's using Phoebe before it's too late." Angel said.

"Which brings us back to Mata Hari's revenge. Ok. She spent her life pleasing men, only to be betrayed by them at the end."

"Oh, no." Piper said.

"What?" Paige, Buffy, and Angel asked.

"What if she wants to return the favor?"

Buffy, Piper, and Paige turned another corner in the catacombs that the swarm demons inhabited. "I swear this is where we found The King last time." Paige said.

"Well, maybe your orbing was off." Piper said.

"My orbing was not off. They just moved."

"Well, we should be hearing the swarm. So why don't we?"

"I don't know."

"Cause there's like a jillion miles of this stupid maze?" Buffy asked. "They could be anywhere."

"You missy, should not even be complaining. You're not supposed to be here."

"I'll be fine. Just don't tell Angel or Leo. Besides, we don't even know if Phoebe is here."

"Well, it's our best bet." Paige said. "I swear, if she is hurt, I am never going to forgive Richard."

"I think Jason's the one we need to worry about right now." Piper said. The suddenly heard Phoebe shout "No!" as it echoed through the tunnels.

Paige grabbed Piper and Buffy and they orbed to the sound. Buffy ducked as a fireball whizzed by her and exploded against the wall behind them. They quickly moved around a wall to where Phoebe and Jason were.

"Oh, thank god. I'm so happy to see you guys." Phoebe said.

"You're you." Buffy said, completely certain of it.

"Yeah. What the heck are you doing here? You're not supposed to be demon hunting." Another fireball flew by them and hit the wall.

"Oh, leave it."

"I will not leave it." Yet another fireball hit the wall behind them. "You're not invincible, Buffy."

"I've got you guys here. I'll be fine. How are you you again?"

"Ok. Reunion later." Piper said. "Slay now."

The demons let loose another salvo of fireballs. Phoebe moved Buffy to stand with Jason as Piper took out the spell. The Charmed Ones gathered around to recite it. "Demon swarm that serves as one, vanquish him from which they come." The swarm king caught on fire, burned, and exploded. Once the king was gone, the demons all exploded as well.

Phoebe turned to look at Jason. "Jason. I'm so sorry. I'm so, so sorry."

"Me, too."

"I hate to break this up. I really do, but we gotta go." Piper said.

"How did you get rid of Mata Hari's karma?" Buffy asked Phoebe.

"Who?" Jason asked.

"Don't ask." Piper said.

"Where did you get the potion from?" Phoebe asked Jason.

"I got it from Richard. He said it would be the only thing that might save you." Jason said.

"Richard?" Paige asked.

"Yeah."

Phoebe turned and smacked Buffy on the arm. "You. Get back to the Manor. You are not supposed to be demon fighting."

Buffy's eyes widened. "I didn't fight! I ducked."

"You could've been hurt or worse."

Buffy hugged Phoebe tightly. "I'm just glad you're you again."

"Distraction by love isn't going to work. I'm so telling Angel when we get back to the Manor."

"Speaking of…." Paige said, holding out her hands so they could orb home.


	33. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

Buffy and Piper watched toddlers happily play with each other in groups. Wyatt was sitting alone in the corner with his toys in front of him. A young mother stood with them saying, "All I'm saying is that you're way behind with little Wyatt. You really should've applied before this."

"Yeah, well, you know, he's not even a year old yet." Piper said.

"So? I had my Jake signed up for Mommy and Me when I was still pregnant with him."

"Really? You can do that?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, absolutely. You should sign up for it before you pop." The woman looked at Piper. "You know, I'm surprised that they let you sign up this late. Because everybody wants to get in here because it gets you into Adlebery Preschool, which is a feeder for Hoskins Elementary, and Bentley Middle School." She laughed knowingly as if it's importance were obvious. "Doesn't have any siblings, does he?"

"Uh, no. How did you know?" Piper asked.

"Because he doesn't play well with others. Oh, don't worry about it. It's a common problem among only children. All the more reason to start developing their social skills early. First thing preschools look for, you know."

"Yeah. Well, that's why we're here."

"It's a good thing that your cousin is going to have a baby soon so Wyatt will have someone at the house too."

Piper looked at Buffy who was looking at the door where Paige and Phoebe had just walked in. "Excuse us." The two of them walked away from the mother and headed for Paige and Phoebe. "Hi. Thanks for coming."

"Oh, of course, you know, anything for our little nephew." Phoebe said. "What exactly are we doing for our little nephew?"

"Showing family support. They look for that. Especially when the father's not around a lot." Paige nodded at Piper and quietly turned around to dial on her cell phone.

"What are you talking about? Leo's around all the time."

"Yeah. For Wyatt, but he won't be for the school. He can't be." Piper saw Paige with the cell phone trying to make her call. "What're you doing? Put that thing down."

Paige put her phone down. "I-I'm trying to get a hold of Richard. I can't find him."

"You've been trying to call Richard for the last couple of days." Buffy said. "Maybe you should give it a rest."

"I know, but I'm just afraid he's off on some….. Magical freak-out or something, you know? And I just want to be able to help him."

"Maybe he just needs a little time alone." Phoebe said.

"It just makes me question whether or not I can even save an innocent, if I can't save my boyfriend. No offense."

"Oh, no. Don't worry about it. I'm over it."

"Jason?"

"Yeah. When you get to be my age, you can't spend the time crying over spilt milk."

"Your age?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. The whole biological clock thing. It's very real, and it's echoing. Tick, tick, tick, tick, tick, tick."

"Ok. Hey!" Piper said. "Neurotic people, can we get back to my neurosis right now, please?"

"Sure. Which one were we talking about?"

"The one where I'm a rotten mother who's raising an anti-social child."

"Oh, that is ridiculous! And not true." Buffy said.

"Is it? He doesn't have any friends. Phoebe, you and I had each other when we were growing up, but he doesn't have anybody. He's all alone."

"Hey! I was all alone." Paige said.

"Me too." Buffy said.

"Yeah, but Paige, you didn't know you had powers and Buffy, you didn't become the Slayer until you were 15. So it was safe for you guys to have friends. Your mothers didn't have to worry about if you were going to orb out during a play-date or something."

"Piper, do you think you're over-reacting a little?" Phoebe asked.

Just then, Wyatt orbed out of the play room. "No." Piper said.

"Where'd he go?" Paige asked.

"Home, probably. Come on." They walked outside and orbed the Manor. Angel had Wyatt in his arms and they were standing at the base of the stairs staring up at something on the stairs. A white blinding light on the wall revealed a door in the wall.

"You cannot keep doing this, sweetie, really." Piper said as they walked up to Angel.

"Uh, guys…." Angel pointed at the door.

Buffy gasped. "Oh, what the…."

"It just appeared."

"Oh. This is not good." Piper said.

Behind the door, they heard a horse neigh and a cry for help. Piper took Wyatt and handed him to Paige. "Orb him out of here. Go." Paige orbed just as the door opened and a man dressed in educational black robes rushed out. He took one look at them and appeared relieved.

"Oh. Thank god you're home." The man said. Behind him, he heard galloping and turned around. Directly in front of him, a Headless Horseman appeared. The horse reared high on its hind legs. The Horseman swung his sword and chopped off the man's head. The head fell to the floor and partly down the stairs as the door slammed shut behind him.

"What the hell was that?" Piper asked.

"That…." The four of them looked around for the source of the voice and stared at the talking head on the floor. "Was the headless horseman."

"I…. You…." Buffy looked at Angel. "They're not supposed to talk after that happens."

"Not generally. No." Angel said.

"I'm sorry." The head said. "Could you please give me a hand?"

"Oh, uh…. Sure." Angel bent down and picked the head up gently.

Piper removed the vase of flowers from the main hallway table as and Angel placed the man's head in the center. Piper straightened his glasses on his nose.

"You're very kind." The man said.

"Yeah. Can I just ask you one question?" Phoebe asked. "How are you still talking?"

"Yes, well, fair question. Uh, fortunately, the rest of me is still at magic school. Otherwise, I'd be…."

"I'm sorry." Piper said. "Magic school?"

"Yes. That's right. Anyway, as I was saying, as long as my body remains on grounds, I can't, well, you know….. Die. It's all part of the magic, thankfully."

"Like the doorway in the middle of my stairway."

"Sorry. I didn't know where else to put it. It's the only way in or out of the school. I had to reach you somehow."

"Do you have a name?" Buffy asked.

"Sigmund, but I'm afraid we don't have much time for pleasantries. I really need to get you back before he strikes again."

"The Headless Horseman?" Angel asked.

"Right."

"Fabulous." Piper said. Paige and Leo orbed in behind Sigmund. "Where's Wyatt?"

Phoebe motioned wildly to the head on the table trying to draw Paige's attention to the talking head. Paige didn't notice her, though. "He's upstairs in his room. I thought I should bring Le…." She finally noticed the head. "o-O. Oh, my god. Then, apparently, I was right."

"Leo!" Sigmund said as Leo and Paige walked around to stand in front of him. "Oh, so good to see you again."

"Sigmund, what happened?" Leo asked.

"Wait, you guys know each other?" Buffy asked.

"Gideon sent me for your help. All your help." Sigmund said.

"Gideon? Who is Gideon? And who are you?" Paige asked.

"All right. All you people with legs, follow me." Piper said. She took the vase of flowers and stepped into the next room.

Phoebe motioned to Sigmund. "You wait here."

"Hurry." Sigmund called.

They all moved into the foyer. "Leo, just so you know, this is what's keeping your son from developing social skills." Piper said.

"And me from helping Richard." Paige said.

"And me from helping…. me." Phoebe said.

"And I've got nothing." Buffy said.

"What?" Leo asked.

"I'm talking about our lives." Piper said. "We can't just drop what we're doing every time somebody's head comes rolling down the stairs."

"I don't believe you're saying this. You don't understand. This isn't supposed to happen. Magic school is supposed to be protected from evil. It's the only way Gideon can teach magic to the next generation. Wyatt's generation. Alex's generation."

"I think Wyatt is more concerned with nursery school right now, than magic school."

"Are you sure? Paige said he orbed back in front of the door. He was drawn to it."

"Ok. You know what?" Buffy said. "I think we should help the magic school. Because we can't just keep that head on our foyer table. You know? What is it? A centerpiece?"

"Ok, fine, but we can't take Wyatt. Sorry." Piper said.

"All right. I'll get Chris to watch him." Leo said.

"What? After everything he's done? No. I don't think so."

"He was just trying to protect Wyatt."

"Oh, please." Paige said.

"I think his intentions are good. He deserves another chance."

"I'm with Leo." Buffy said. They all looked at her. "What? So he messed up a few times. I think he deserves another chance, too."

Phoebe pushed the door on the stairs open and looked inside. She and stepped into Magic School and had to step over Sigmund's body on the floor. Piper cringed as she did the same. "Oh, yuck." She opened the mesh bag she was carrying and peered inside. "Um, are you sure you can breathe in there all right?"

"Yes, I…." Sigmund was cut off by the door slamming shut behind them. "We must move quickly."

"All right."

"Just step around it. Someone will be along for it shortly."

Piper stepped around the body and headed for the hallway. Buffy, Paige, Phoebe, and Angel followed.

"Wow. Impressive." Paige said as they faced a long, endless hallway.

"How long is this hallway?" Buffy asked.

"No one really knows. It's endless." Sigmund said.

"Great." Piper said.

"So, how are we going to find this dude Gideon, anyway?" Paige asked.

"He's not a 'dude'. He's an Elder. My old mentor, actually." Leo said.

"Really? You've never mentioned him before." Piper said.

"Oh, wow!" Buffy said.

"What?"

"He told me about him. So I get to meet _the_ Gideon. How awesome is that?"

Leo smiled. "We met a long time ago, when I first became a Whitelighter. He helped me out. Took me under his wing." He looked at Piper. "He actually fought for us to get married. To break the rules."

"Really?"

Phoebe turned around to look at something. "Ok, I don't want to freak anybody out, but there is a wolf following us."

"What?" Everyone turned around and saw nothing there.

"There was a wolf following us, I swear."

"Not everyone sees the same things here, Phoebe." Sigmund said. "Only what they're meant to see."

"Who you got in there? Confucius?" A side door opened and a young woman reading a book levitated from the left of the hallway over to the right of the hallway. The left door closed behind her as the right door opened to let her in and closed behind her. "Ok. You all saw that, right?"

"Eleventh grade levitation. She's late. We should keep moving. The Great Hall is just ahead."

They continued to move forward until they reached a pair of tall wooden doors. The doors opened up to the Great Hall and Leo looked around the room as they stopped in the center. "Leo! Good. Thanks for coming. Although I do wish it was under better circumstances."

"Gideon." Leo said.

"And The Charmed Ones, the vampire with a soul, and the Slayer." They looked over to where the sound of Gideon's voice was coming from and saw nothing. "Lovely to see you three again, although you probably don't remember meeting me. You were just little girls."

Piper handed the bag with Sigmund's head to Leo. "Leo." She said, frustrated.

"Gideon, I believe your invisibility shield is still up." Leo said.

Gideon removed the invisibility shield and he appeared in front of them. "I'm sorry. I'm just a little distracted with everything that's been going on around here."

"Yes, we heard." Buffy said.

Leo placed Sigmund's head on the table top and Gideon turned to him. "Sigmund, oh, I'm so sorry."

"It's all right, sir." Sigmund said. "Didn't stop me from delivering the message now, did it?"

"Ok, would somebody please tell me what's going on here?" Phoebe asked.

"You always were the restless one." Gideon said. "Just like your Grams. Well, it all started innocently enough, actually. Pranks, really. Setting the rats loose from the Pied Piper. Turning the north dorm into a gingerbread house. Kids…."

"And then…." Leo prompted.

"And then someone cast a spell that brought forth the darkness. And days became nights, nights became terror. And the Headless Horseman has roamed the campus ever since, targeting teachers."

"Forgive me, sir. Perhaps you'd like to orb me over to the other heads?" Sigmund asked.

"Right." Gideon stepped toward him. "Good thinking."

"Nice to meet you." Sigmund said to the group.

"You, too, dude." Phoebe said. With a wave of Gideon's hand, Sigmund's head orbed out.

"So, what you're saying is somebody's trying to shut down the school by cutting off teachers' heads?" Buffy asked.

"What else could it be?" Gideon asked. "What better way for evil to gain an upper hand than to thwart the next generation?"

"Isn't it as simple as finding who conjured the Horseman, and reversing the magic?" Angel asked.

"Yes. Except that no student possesses that level of magic. At least, they're not supposed to. That's why I believe that a demon from the outside has somehow corrupted one of them into doing his bidding."

"So, you find the student, you find the evil, right?" Paige asked.

"True. Except that you'll find much more than that here, Paige. The answers that you each seek can be found within these grounds. You merely have to be open to them. Teaching will help you find the student in question, but it will also remind you of what you fear you have lost." Gideon turned to Piper. "Investigating our nursery school will help you with your worries over Wyatt." He looked at Phoebe. "And if you follow The Wolf, she will lead you where you want to go. But be careful. The deeper you look, the more you will discover. And the better chance you will have of saving all this." Finally, he looked at Buffy and Angel. "You also might want to look at the nursery school for little Alex. She's a special child with powerful blood. Her destiny lies with the future of magic and the future of the Slayer line. She'll do much for this world." Gideon turned around and walked away, vanishing as he went.


	34. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

Piper and Leo stared at the group of kids in the nursery school. A group of little magical boys and girls comfortable in their own abilities played in the center of the room. Some floated on air while others made their toys float. Buffy and Angel were standing beside Piper watching everything intently.

"I don't know what the hell Gideon was talking about, 'cause this is certainly not what I'm looking for." Piper said.

"Still, Wyatt doesn't have to hide his powers." Leo said. "Plus, he's not gonna be all alone."

"No, he'll be surrounded by all the other freaks."

"They're not freaks." Buffy said.

"You know what I mean. I just want Wyatt to have a normal upbringing, at least as normal as possible. Is that too much to ask for?"

"I don't know." Leo said. "Maybe."

"I want to know what Gideon meant by 'her destiny is with the future of magic and the Slayer line.'" Buffy said.

Piper groaned. "We're not shopping for preschools. We're shopping for headhunters, so where is…."

The door to the room opened and the preschool teacher, accompanying a little girl, walked into the room. "Sorry. Little emergency. Go ahead." The little girl ran off to play and the teacher turned her attention back to Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Leo. "Now, where were we?"

"You were telling us about your near-miss with the headless…."

"Shh. I don't want to scare the little ones. They may have powers, but they're still innocent."

"How did you get away?" Angel asked.

"I astral projected. Confused him, I guess, by creating two of me, thank god."

"Um, are you suggesting that one of these kids might be…." Buffy gestured with her hand.

"Involved? Oh, dear, no. No. Never."

"Why would you be a target?" Leo asked.

"These children are the cradle of good magic, its entire future. Without proper guidance, nurturing, they could easily be turned."

"Evil?" Piper asked.

"Yeah."

Suddenly, the alarm blared. "What's that?" Buffy asked.

"Come on." Leo grabbed Piper and Buffy's hands and ran out to the Great Hall with Angel right behind them. Teachers and students were scrambling for cover everywhere. Gideon was already in the Hall. "Anybody hurt?"

"Not yet." Gideon said.

Paige ran into the hall. "You guys ok?"

"Paige, you're a teacher now. You need to be careful."

Leo grabbed Paige's arm and pulled her to the endless hallway. "Come on, I'll take you back."

"Wait! Don't leave!" Buffy said. She turned to look and saw the headless horseman materialize behind Piper. "Piper!"

Piper turned around and gasped when she saw the rearing horse. The horseman swung his long sword and sliced Piper's head clean off of her neck. Her head hit the floor with a thud and rolled toward them. The Headless Horseman disappeared.

"Great. Juuuust great." Piper said.

Leo gently placed Piper's head on the top of the cabinet in the conservatory next to the other potted plants in the Manor. "Ow." He slowly turned her head to face outward. "Easy, easy. Ow. Easy. Watch the hair."

Leo stepped back. "Sorry."

"Doing ok up there, honey?" Paige asked.

"Actually, I feel a little woozy." Piper said.

"Maybe it's because we have you up too high." Buffy said. "Are you sure you don't want me to move you down lower?"

"No. I don't want Wyatt to see me like this. He will freak out."

"Well, you know, on the plus side, this is a great way for Wyatt to get out and socialize."

"If I had legs, I would kick you." Piper eyed the potted plant to the left of her. The leaves were in her way and partially obscuring her vision. "Could you move this for me, please?"

"This one?" Leo asked.

"Yeah."

Leo smiled and quickly removed the plant completely from the cabinet top as Paige said, "You know, maybe I should just go upstairs and check the Book and see if there's a spell that can fix this."

"Or we can find the little child that conjured the horseman and vanquish it." Piper said.

"You think that would reverse the spell?" Buffy asked.

"I'm hopin'."

"I keep getting this weird feeling that it's one of the students in my class." Paige said.

"Why?" Leo asked.

"Because who better to turn than one of the most powerful kids there?"

"What do you suggest?" Buffy asked.

"I think we should bring them here."

"What?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, if we get them away from school, they can't conjure the horseman. That way, we keep him here long enough to figure out who it is."

"I say it's not a bad idea, since you're targets now." Leo said.

"Uh-oh…." Piper said. "Angel and Phoebe…."

"I'll go get them." Leo said.

"No. I do not want Wyatt to have two headless parents. Send Chris."

Buffy and Leo headed upstairs, leaving Paige with Piper. They walked upstairs to Wyatt's room and found Chris pacing the floor as a demon in a black cloak had his hands over Wyatt in his crib. Beams of bright white lights shone down on Wyatt. The demon looked up and stopped, shimmering out of the room just as Leo and Buffy got a good eye-full of him.

Buffy headed for the crib while Leo confronted Chris. "What the hell is going on?"

"Wait. I can explain." Chris said.

"You ok, buddy?" Buffy said to Wyatt.

"What was he doing?" Leo asked.

"Nothing." Chris said. "I mean, nothing bad. I swear."

"Nothing bad? He's a demon." Buffy said.

"But he wasn't hurting him. I promise. Wyatt's shield wasn't even up."

"I trusted you." Leo said. "I vouched for you."

"Look, just let me explain."

"Get out of here."

"Buffy, please!"

Leo took a threatening step toward Chris. "NOW!" Chris looked at Leo and knew that it wouldn't do any good to explain any further. He orbed out of the room.

Leo went over to where Buffy was now holding Wyatt. "Is he ok?"

"Yeah, I think so." Buffy handed Wyatt to Leo.

"Listen, I'm gonna take him up there, where it's safe. Do you mind…."

"Getting Angel and Phoebe? No, not at all. I'll take Paige." Buffy waited until Leo had orbed before she went to get Paige.

Paige orbed with Buffy into the back of the cave behind the shaman Phoebe had gone with. "There you are." Paige said. "We've been looking all over for you, Phoebe. Are you ok? What happened? The horseman?"

"No, uh…. My inner demons, apparently." Phoebe said.

"Well, it's good to see at least you have your head, unlike Piper." Buffy said.

"What?"

"Yeah. The horseman got her."

"But she's doing pretty good, considering the circumstances. A little grumpier than normal, but hey…." Paige said.

"Tou really should get out of here before, you know, you get chopped." Buffy said.

"I think I should stay here." Phoebe said.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Because Gideon put me on this path for a reason. And I believe that there are answers here. I'll be ok. And you know where to find me if you need me."

"Ok, but…. Remember that she's a suspect, too."

Paige and Buffy orbed out. They found Angel with Gideon in the Great Hall. "Hey. How's Piper?" He asked as Paige walked out.

"A little pissy without her head, but other than that…." Buffy said. "Listen. We're going to take Paige's class back to the Manor."

"Why?" Gideon asked.

"Because Paige seems to think that it's someone in her class. She says if we can get them away from the school, they can't conjure the horseman and if they're there long enough, we can figure out who it is."

"It could work."

"Here's hoping." Buffy said, looking at Paige marching her class in the Hall.

"Want me to come with?" Angel asked.

"Please? If the horseman comes after you and manages to take your head, I'm not sure if you'd actually survive." Buffy looked at Gideon. "Vampires tend not to do so well without their heads."

"Yes." Gideon said. "Let me know how things turn out."

Buffy and Angel followed Paige and the class back to the door to the Manor. They heard Piper call out to find out who it was. "Don't worry," Paige said. "It's just us and some of the more unusual suspects."

"Wait, you think one of us is responsible?" One kid said.

"You didn't know she thought that?" Another kid asked. "What kind of telepath are you, anyway?" He slapped the other kid on the back on his head.

"Stop picking on me!"

"Yeah? Or what?"

"Or you deal with me." Buffy said, separating them by picking them up by their shirts and moved them a couple of feet away from each other.

"All right, Zachary and Slick, time to knock it off." Paige said. "You're in my house."

"The Halliwell Manor. I don't believe it. It's just like in the texts." Another kid said.

"It looks like my grandma's house." Another kid said.

"All right, all right, move it along, people. Let's go. Other room." Paige closed and rushed down the stairs to get them into the Conservatory. "All right, is everybody here?"

"Yes, ma'am." A student said.

"Kiss-ass." One student said through fake coughs.

"Hey! Watch your mouth!" Piper said.

"Whoa, it's Piper Halliwell." Another student said.

"Yeah, but only part of her. And not the good part, either." Slick said.

"Slick." Paige warned.

"Can it." Piper snapped.

"Ok. Here's the deal, people. We know that one of you is behind this. So nobody is gonna leave here until we figure out who it is. So far, nobody has gotten killed."

"Not yet, anyway." Buffy said.

"And so far this has just been a really stupid prank. So please, let's not let it go any further than that."

"Is Gideon gonna shut down the school?" Zachary asked.

"Not unless he's forced to."

"Why don't you start with the conjurer?" Another student asked.

"Me? What about you, Quentin? You're the Sleepy Hollow buff."

"Yeah, but Slick's the shapeshifter." Zachary said.

"Hey! Screw you, Zachary." Slick said.

"Wait, you guys. Just stop it, guys." Piper snapped.

Buffy turned around slightly and saw Chris standing in the doorway near the kitchen. He motioned to her.

"Seriously, why don't you just admit that you did it?" Quentin said.

"I would never do anything to harm A Charmed One." Another student said.

"I'll be right back." Buffy said to Paige.

"Where you going?" Piper asked.

The students continued to bicker loudly amongst themselves as Buffy walked off. She stormed into the kitchen where Chris was waiting. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help." Chris said.

"My help? That's rich, with what you pulled."

"Hey, please. Just hear me out. I'm running out of time."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"Exactly that. Don't you see? That's the only reason why I went to the demon. He can scan for evil, and maybe figure out who's gonna turn Wyatt, since we haven't been able to."

"Ok, you're not making any sense."

"Buffy, listen to me. I need you to trust me. And I need you to get Piper and Leo to trust me, too. Before it's too late."

Before Buffy could answer, she was interrupted by shrieks coming from the next room and Angel calling her name. "The Horseman!" One student cried.

"Paige!" Piper yelled.

Buffy and Chris ran for the conservatory. "What happened?" Buffy asked. They arrived just in time to see the Headless Horseman in the conservatory. He headed toward Paige and swung his sword. Angel grabbed Paige and pulled her down under the sword, getting her safely away as the Horseman's sword hit the door frame. His hands were sizzling from where they'd gone in the sun. Students screamed and scrambled out of the way. With a mighty swirl of his sword, the horseman headed for the Conservatory doors. The outer doors magically opened and the horseman rode out into the back yard, the doors closing behind him.

"Everyone all right?" Paige asked.

"I think so." Herman said.

"Head count." Piper said. "No jokes, just do it." She spotted Chris. "What are you doing here?"

"Just trying to help." Chris said.

Paige finished counting and sighed with relief. "They're all here."

Gideon walked into the Manor through the magic door. "I heard the alarm. What's this doing open?"

"One of the students must have opened it without my seeing."

"And the Horseman?"

"Gone." Chris said. "Out those doors." He pointed to the conservatory doors.

"You have to stop him."

Paige sighed. "Ok, well, we have to figure out…."

"No. You don't understand. People on the outside aren't protected like we are at school. They'll die."

"Then we need Phoebe."

"I'll get her." Chris said. Without waiting for an answer, he ran up the stairs and through the door.

"But you can't wait for her. You have to go after the horseman now." Gideon said.

"By myself?" Paige asked.

"Buffy can't go. She can't endanger the life of her daughter."

"No. I can't vanquish him by myself."

"You don't have to. All you have to do is lead him back to the school so that at least nobody will be killed. Don't let your concerns about Richard make you question yourself. You can do this. I'll help you." He held out his hand. Paige took a hold of it and they orbed out in search of the Headless Horseman.


	35. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Slick took a step out of the conservatory, but Piper stopped him. "Ah, ah, ah. Where are you going?" He turned and looked incredulously at Piper. "Don't give me that look. I still got a mouth. I could turn you into a toad."

Buffy walked in and laughed. "Everything ok?"

"Yes. I've got this under control." Slick tried again and Piper turned him into a toad. "Has Chris gotten Phoebe yet?"

"They're not back yet."

The front door opened and Paige and Gideon walked in. "I just don't understand why the horseman targeted him." Paige said. "I mean, and why did he pass up so many others along the way?"

"Granted, it could have been a lot worse, but it doesn't change my mind." Gideon said.

"The police said he was a killer, Gideon."

"Doesn't make it right."

"No, it doesn't make it right, but you shouldn't shut down the school because of it. We have the horseman contained. Now we just need to find…."

"It's too late. The damage has already been done. When I stated this school, I made a promise that the magic within would never harm a soul. Otherwise…."

They walked into the conservatory to see all the students standing in a semi-circle staring down at a toad on the ground. Buffy was standing next to the doorway. "Piper, you ok?" Paige asked.

"Hunky-dory." Piper said.

"What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Where's Angel?" Paige asked.

"In the kitchen."

"You." Paige grabbed his hand and pulled him toward the kitchen. "Come with me. Buffy, follow."

"Anybody else wanna try me?" Piper asked as Buffy followed Paige and Gideon.

"Leo!" Paige called.

"What do you want him for?" Gideon asked.

"Reinforcements."

"What's up?" Angel asked. Buffy shrugged.

Leo orbed in. "What's going on?"

"You have to talk him out of closing down the magic school." Paige said.

"Someone let the horseman out. He killed a man." Gideon said.

"But why?" Leo asked.

"Why else? To force my hand."

"If you let whoever's behind this win, all those kids are gonna lose." Paige said. "Is that what you want?"

"Of course not. But…."

"But what? Big deal. You have one bad apple. Just give us the time to flush him out, to save the next generations of magic."

"I know! But the rules…."

"Screw the rules! Listen, you are the one who talked me into doing this, you are the one who said I could do it, so don't give up on me now. Please. Just let us finish the job that we started. Tell him, Leo."

"I think you just did." Leo said.

They heard Piper cry out suddenly and everyone ran out of the kitchen to check on her. They rushed into the conservatory and found Piper missing. Gideon ran into the sitting room to check on the doorway. Leo walked around the room to check on the kids.

"Piper? Oh, my god. Piper?" Paige said.

"The door's still closed." Gideon said, walking back in.

"The kids are frozen." Buffy said.

"Piper must have done that."

"Without hands? I don't think so." Paige said.

"Someone from the outside?" Angel asked.

"It's impossible. We got here too fast. It had to be one of them."

"The students? No. They don't possess that kind of power. Besides, they're frozen."

"Then one of them's faking it." Buffy said. Just then, the doorway opened and Phoebe and Chris walked out. Buffy hugged her cousin tightly. "Phoebe, I'm so glad to see you. I was worried."

"What's the matter? Didn't you trust me?" Chris asked.

"Separate subject." Leo said.

"How's Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"You're not gonna like it." Paige said.

"She's been kidnapped." Angel said.

"What?" Phoebe and Chris cried.

"That's the bad news." Paige said. "The good news is that she's here somewhere."

"Well, if one of the students took her, I can't sense which one it is." Gideon said.

"Maybe I can." Phoebe said. "Thanks to your wolf." She walked into the conservatory and walked by each of the kids. "I can sense pain…. And anger, a lot of anger. Wants revenge. Do any of them hate the high school?"

"Honey, they're teenagers. The all hate the school. But he's a conjuror." Paige said, pointing to Herman.

Phoebe turned around and focused on Herman. "No. It's not him." She turned and looked at Zachary. "But who's this guy?"

"A telepath."

"Yeah. He's telepathing a whole lot of rage right now."

"Well, look who just solved the case." Zachary said, moving.

"Zachary?" Gideon said.

"Surprise." Zachary vanished.

"What happened?" Chris asked. "Where did he go?"

"That wasn't Zachary: That was an astral projection." Leo said.

"He doesn't have that power." Gideon said.

"No. But a teacher here does." Paige said. "And Herman's a conjuror, and Piper can freeze."

"He's using his telepathy to tap into other people's powers." Buffy said.

"Where's the real Zachary?" Angel asked.

"He's at school. With Piper." Paige said.

"But why? What does he want with her?" Chris asked.

"I think we should go find out." Buffy said.

"I think you're staying here." Phoebe said.

"What? No."

"It's too dangerous. Paige and I'll go. You, Gideon, Leo, and Angel stay here. Just in case Zachary decides to come back." Before Buffy could argue, Phoebe and Paige turned and went through the door to Magic School.

Buffy sighed and looked at Angel. "You should've gone with them."

"You said so yourself: If the horseman takes my head, we don't know if I'll survive." Angel said. "They'll fix this. Don't worry."

"How could I not have seen this?" Gideon said. "How could I not have sensed his pain? After all these years with him?"

"It's not your fault, Gideon. Even you can't see everything." Leo said."

"I should've seen this. I should've focused more on the boy than on his magic."

The door to magic school opened and Paige rushed in. "We have to get the kids out of here now."

"Why? What's the matter?"

"It's Zachary. He's lost it."

Gideon looked at Leo. "Orb them out. Up there. I'll try talking to him. Take Buffy and Angel with you. Just go." Leo turned to the students and Buffy and Angel, spread his arms, and orbed everyone out of the room.

"I don't think that was really Paige." Buffy said to Leo as soon as they were in the Elders dimension.

"What do you mean?"

"It didn't feel like her."

"Or smell like her." Angel said.

"I need to get to Magic School."

"Why?"

"Because I need to get the real Paige and Phoebe. Leo…."

"I have to stay with the students." Leo said.

"Then send me back."

Leo sighed and orbed her to the Great Hall. Phoebe, Paige, and Piper's heads were sitting on the table at the head of the hall. "Buffy, look out!" Phoebe cried. At the end of the Great Hall, the headless horseman was galloping toward them.

"Sword!" Paige called. A sword orbed off the wall and into Buffy's hand. Buffy held it up and fended off the horseman's sword.

"Now! Now! Now!" Phoebe cried.

"Power of three, unite. To end this grisly fright. Reverse the roles, and make us whole."

The horseman glowed gold and exploded. Buffy dusted herself off and turned to look at her cousins. Their heads were gone, but on the ground Phoebe and Paige's bodies had their heads back on.

Paige sat up. "Thank god it worked."

Phoebe was so happy to have her body back, she started patting her body down, checking to see that all of her was there. Buffy chuckled. "You want me to get you a room?"

They heard a loud whistle and looked up to see Piper walking into the Great Hall. "Let's go, let's go, let's go." She called. As they ran to the door leading to the Manor, Buffy told them about Zachary, but they already knew about it.

"Why didn't you come to me?" Gideon was saying.

"I did! Damn it!" Zachary said. "Every time I snuck out. Every time I got in trouble. But you didn't care. You wouldn't listen."

"We're listening." Paige said. Zachary whirled around and saw the sisters and Buffy walk into the room. "It's ok. We're not gonna hurt you."

"We're here to help." Phoebe said.

"How'd you get out?" He asked.

"Magic." Piper said.

"See, sometimes it takes us away from our lives, as well. A lot more than we like it to." Paige said.

"But it's who we are, whether we like it or not." Phoebe said. "We can't change that, and neither can you."

"You have to accept it." Buffy said. "You have to realize this is not worth throwing your life away for."

"Just let it go." Paige said, taking a step forward. Zachary hesitated and looks back at Gideon. "That's it…. Easy." Finally, Zachary lowered his arm, releasing the athame at Gideon's throat. The athame fell harmlessly down to the floor.

"You ok?" Phoebe asked Gideon.

"Yes." Gideon said. "I just guess I've been more…. Invisible than I realized over the years."

Buffy sat with Phoebe and Piper at the bar in P3. Angel was serving drinks behind it since Piper's bartender had called in sick. "He's really good at this." Piper said.

"Wanna give him a job?" Buffy asked.

"I may have to."

"He can only work nights."

"That's perfectly fine by me."

Paige joined them at the bar after the song ended. "Hey, guys. Wasn't Ziggy Marley supposed to play here before?"

"Yeah. He had to reschedule." Piper said. "So, how's Zachary?"

"He's good. He's at home with his family now, but I wouldn't be surprised to see him back at magic school someday. I think he, um, I think he heard us. You know, about accepting himself."

"So, then, you're not gonna bind his powers?"

"No. He didn't want me to. But he gave me a good idea about maybe doing that for somebody else."

"Richard?" Buffy and Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. You know, if he can't handle it, why should he have to? Maybe I can finally help him accept that."

"You're gonna make a really good teacher one day, Paige." Phoebe said.

"Teacher?"

"Yes. In magic school. I saw it with my very own vision."

"Hmm. Well, I don't think she's gonna be teaching Wyatt any time soon." Piper said. "Suddenly, I'm more concerned about separating him from his family than raising him as an only child."

"Actually, uh, there might be a day that you don't have to be concerned about that."

"Well, I know. Alex will be here soon and…."

"That's not what you mean, is it?" Buffy asked. She followed Phoebe's gaze and saw Chris walking into the club, heading for the back room.

"I'm just saying…." Phoebe said, slipping off her stool and following Chris.

Buffy slipped off hers and followed Phoebe. She knew something was up in her cousin's mind and she intended to find out. "What are you saying?" Buffy asked her, finally catching up.

"I think Chris is Piper's son." Phoebe said.

"Say what!"

"I'm almost 100% positive." They made it to the door just as it was closing behind Chris. "Hey."

Chris turned around as Buffy shut the door behind them. "Hey. So, did you guys come here to kick me out?"

"Uh, no, actually…. I…. We came here to ask you a question."

"What?"

"I need you to be honest with us. No games. No running away. Just the truth."

"Ok."

Phoebe geared up to ask Chris, but she was taking too long for Buffy. "Are you Wyatt's little brother?" Buffy blurted out.

Completely unexpected, it hit Chris hard. He looked away for a moment contemplating his answer, then finally gave in. "Only if I can get Piper and Leo back together in time."


	36. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

The front door was open at the Manor and party-going parents were leaving, balloons, babies, and favors in their arms. Just inside the foyer, Piper and Buffy were bidding their remaining guests goodbye as Leo and Angel stood behind them with Wyatt in Leo's arms. The baby shower/Wyatt's first birthday party had ended finally.

Piper handed a woman a package of goodies. "Here you go. Thanks for coming."

"Thanks for inviting us. It was a fun party." The woman said, walking out with her husband saying, "Bye. Thanks."

"I still can't believe that Wyatt is one already and you're due in a couple of weeks." Cindy said to Buffy.

"Oh, I know." Buffy said.

"Nice to finally meet you, Leo, and you, Angel." Frank said.

"Yeah. You, too." Leo and Angel said.

"You know, Frank and some of the other dads get the kids together on Saturdays, if you two are interested." Cindy said to Leo and Angel.

"Uh…. yeah." Angel said.

"Thanks." Leo said.

"Excellent." Frank said.

They left and Piper breathed a sigh of relief as she shut the front door. "I'm exhausted." She said.

"You!" Buffy retreated to the couch. "My feet are killing me."

"Did you have fun?" Leo said to Wyatt. "Hmm? Did you like it?"

"Yeah, he was a really good boy and only made mommy freeze the room once." Piper said.

"He was excited. It's his birthday."

"He was excited to see you. He misses you."

"I know. I miss him, too." Wyatt leaned away from Leo towards Buffy as he walked past her on the couch. "Then again…."

Buffy took Wyatt and sat him down next to her. He laid his head on her stomach and hugged her. Paige walked into the room and picked up a champagne bottle and glass from the center main hall table and offered it to them.

"Hey, you guys want any more champagne?" She asked. "Come on. We don't want it to go to waste. How 'bout it, dads?"

"I'm good. Thanks Paige." Angel said.

"Leo?"

"Elders aren't allowed to drink." Leo said.

"Oh, come on. When on earth, you should do as earthlings do."

"Sorry."

"Not that I'm complaining or anything 'cause you guys did such great work, but, um, champagne? Chocolate-covered strawberries? Oysters? Aren't the kids a little young for the aphrodisiacs?" Piper asked.

"They're aphrodisiacs? Ha! Who knew?" She sighed and held out the glass. "Bubbly?"

"Paige…."

"What? Oh, come on, there were milk and cookies here, too. You know, maybe if-if there were more kids living in this house, I would know what to get. Do you ever stop to think about that? Huh?"

"More kids?" Piper gestured at Buffy and Wyatt. "Hello?"

Paige walked out and past the dining room table long enough to grab the large bowl and dirty paper plates. She headed toward the kitchen leaving Piper and Leo staring at each other in puzzlement and Buffy and Angel exchanging knowing smiles. "She's been weird since she changed her hair color. She'll probably change it back."

Buffy sighed. "I am so tired."

Piper sat down next to her. "Get used to it. It doesn't stop once she gets here."

"I can't believe how much stuff we got."

"It was nice of you to let Wyatt help you open some of your presents." Leo said.

"Well, it _is_ his birthday. And thank you guys for that beautiful bassinet."

"I'm glad you liked it." Piper said. "We would've given you Wyatt's, but his had blue in it, and well…."

"No worries. You might need it again someday."

Piper looked at Buffy and narrowed her eyes. Before she could say anything, Angel caught an arrow out of the air before it hit Leo in the shoulder. They all turned to see a Darklighter on the stairs pointing his crossbow at them. Piper waved her hands and blew up part of the stairway railing in several places. The Darklighter fell down the stairs, still clutching his crossbow.

The Darklighter saw Buffy holding Wyatt and heading for the conservatory. He orbed over to them, stopping Buffy in her tracks, and raised his crossbow, pointing it directly at Leo who was running towards them. Leo stopped moving at the sight of the crossbow and arrow.

The Darklighter shot and the arrow sailed straight for Leo. Leo orbed out and the arrow passed harmlessly through him. The arrow kept going past Piper and Angel, who turned to see Chris standing directly in its path. Phoebe stepped out and pushed Chris out of the way.

Paige held out her hand. "Arrow!" She orbed the arrow back toward the Darklighter and lodged it in his shoulder.

Leo orbed back into the room and stood with Buffy. The Darklighter orbed out of the room, the arrow still lodged in his shoulder.

"You're ok. You're ok." Piper said to Wyatt as she walked over to him and Buffy.

"He may be, but I don't know if I am." Buffy said. She was breathing shallowly and holding her stomach with her free hand. Piper took Wyatt and Leo carried Buffy over to the couch.

"Are you hit?" He asked.

"No. But my entire stomach just cramped up."

Phoebe used an eye drop and suctioned up some of the darklighter blood on the floor while Leo tried to heal Buffy. "Is that enough to scry with?" Paige asked.

"Only one way to find out." Phoebe said.

"At least he waited till after the party to attack. That was nice of him." Piper said, sitting next to Buffy.

"You know what I don't understand is, why would the Darklighter attack at all?" Chris asked.

"I mean, with all of us here at the same time, it's suicide." Phoebe said.

"All the more reason to find him and stop him before he tries again." Angel said, standing behind Buffy and holding her hand.

Leo sighed. "Any better?"

"Yeah, but I don't think it was from your healing." Buffy said, looking worriedly at Piper. "But we don't have time to think about it right now. It's over. Why was that Darklighter here?"

"Well, I don't think he was after a Whitelighter." Leo said. "I think he was after me. Or Wyatt."

"Well, then why don't you take Piper up there, and take Wyatt, too?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, I'll go with you." Piper said.

"But you're not allowed." Leo said.

"All right, so then we'll go to the Magic School. You'll be safe there. You can't be hurt, right?"

"That's great." Paige said. "One big happy family."

"You change him, I'll pack him." Piper stood up. "And Buffy's coming with us."

"Why?" Phoebe asked.

"Cause I want to keep an eye on her." Piper and Angel helped Buffy to her feet and they all headed upstairs.

Leo picked up Wyatt and followed her. "Come on."

Leo found Gideon in the Great Hall of Magic School talking to the librarian after leaving Buffy, Piper, and Wyatt at the nursery. "Gideon…." Leo said.

He turned to greet Leo. "Leo. What a pleasant surprise. How are you, my boy?"

"I've been better. A darklighter attacked. I think he's after me."

"Are you certain?"

"I don't know. He may be trying to get me out of the way to get to Wyatt. I dropped Buffy, Piper, and Wyatt off at the nursery. I hope that's all right."

"Of course, absolutely. Why is Buffy here?"

"Piper's worried she might be in labor."

"Oh, dear. And Angel?"

"Buffy told him to stay with Phoebe and Paige, just in case. I better get back to them and see if I can help."

"No, you shouldn't. You should go back up with the other Elders where you'll be safe."

"What about the Darklighter?"

"It's not your responsibility. That's for the sisters to handle. It's what they do."

"All right. Well, I can't just sit around while someone is after my son. I'm a father now."

"No, you're an Elder now, and it's time to start acting like one. Don't you see? You don't just put yourself at risk by staying here on earth. You put all Elders at risk, too. If they get you, they get access to us all."

"I know, but…."

"You can't justify staying here any longer not with this, not anymore. It's time to fully accept your calling, one that necessarily transcends the sins of the flesh, family, even fatherhood. One that requires you to cut the ties that bind for everyone's sake."

"I can't. At least not until I know my son is safe. I'm sorry." Leo orbed out.

Buffy was sitting in a large canopy bed, propped up on lots of fluffy pillows. She looked a Piper and sighed, "So how long does this usually take?"

Piper smiled. "A few hours."

"How many's a few?"

"Sometimes it can last 16 hours or more. Sometimes it's a lot less. How long have you been having contractions?"

"I don't know. They were just little pains early this morning. I figured it was just Alex kicking me cause she's got a hell of a kick."

"Well, look at her parents."

Buffy let out a short laugh. "Here's hoping it's a lot less for me."

"Are you scared?"

"A little." Buffy shrugged. "I mean, I'm not scared of the pain. I've been through enough in my short life. I'm a little scared of what comes after."

Piper gripped her young cousin's hand. "Don't worry. You're going to be a great mom."

The potions pot exploded and a white, smokey cloud rose out of it. Phoebe looked up from her position on the couch, crystal in her hand as she scryed for the Darklighter. "I thought you were making a love potion."

"I am." Paige said.

"Then why did it blow up?"

"Maybe I'm trying too hard."

"Or maybe it just wasn't meant to be."

"Phoebe!"

"Come on, you weren't thinking the exact same thing?"

"No. Ok, fine, but for, like, a second. The point is Chris is meant to be."

"But not if he changed too much by coming here, you know, messed up his own time line."

"We're talking about his very existence."

"Paige, I know, but there's only so much we can do, especially now with that darklighter out there. I just think that we have to face the reality that Chris' destiny might have been just to come here and warn us about Wyatt, and that's all." Paige didn't say anything. There was a small noise off to the side and both girls turned to find Chris leaning against the doorway. He'd walked in with Angel right behind him.

"Hey." Paige said.

"Oh, my god, Chris, I'm so sorry." Phoebe said.

"No, that's ok." Chris said. "I've actually been wondering the same thing."

"You have?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." He straightened and stepped into the attic. His entire demeanor was less aggressive than his normal self. "I have the strangest feeling, like…. I don't know. It's really hard to explain, but it feels like I'm…. I'm floating? Like I'm not really here, you know?"

"That doesn't sound good." Angel said.

"Well, you have to fight it. We still have time." Paige said.

"Not much." Chris said.

Suddenly, the entire crystal Phoebe was scrying with was jingling and shaking. "I've never seen it do that before." Paige said.

"Maybe that means there's more than one?" Phoebe suggested. "I'll go get Piper." She jumped up and rushed out of the attic.

Chris turned to follow her. "I'll go, too."

"No, you stay here, ok? Finish the potion. When we come back, your parents will be in the mood." Paige said. She grabbed Angel's hand as she walked out. "You, however, are coming with." She caught up with Phoebe and they orbed to Magic School.

Buffy was laying in bed on a mound of pillows with her head on Piper's shoulder. She was asleep, but they could tell it wasn't a deep sleep by any means. "Is she ok?" Phoebe asked, crawling up on the bed and trying not to disturb Buffy.

"She's in labor, but it's not too far into it yet." Piper said quietly.

"Why didn't she say anything?" Angel asked.

"She wasn't sure. She thought it was just Alex having kicking fits."

"Oh, wow." Paige said. "Piper, I really hate to do this, but we need you to vanquish that Darklighter."

"What? No. You guys are the midwives. You're needed here. The Darklighter can wait."

"Not if he's after Wyatt." Paige said. "It'll be quick. I promise."

"I'll stay with her." Angel said. "I can't go out with you guys anyway."

"Let me get Leo and tell him what's going on." Piper said.

"He's at the house waiting for us." Phoebe said.

"Oh." Piper sighed. "Let's make this quick and then we've got to call aunt Joyce and tell her."


	37. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Piper drove up the street and came to a stop on the curb near an alley. Everyone got out of the car and looked around. "You sure this is the place?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, down that alley." Phoebe said.

"Thank god we didn't orb in." Paige said.

"Well, we couldn't." Leo said. "They would've known we were coming."

"Well, maybe they know already." Piper said.

Phoebe turned around to look at Piper. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, since when do Darklighters hang out in broad daylight like this? It could be a trap." Piper looked at Leo. "Maybe you should stay here."

"No, I'm the bait, remember? Besides, if it is a trap, you might need me to help you orb back." Leo said.

"Well, I got Phoebe." Paige said. "You get Piper out of here for Chris…. For Wyatt's sake."

Phoebe grabbed the potions bottles from Paige and they headed into the alley. "Let's just do this."

They walked into the alley. "I don't see anything." Paige said.

Piper looked up and saw a Darklighter standing on a rooftop above them. She waved her hands and blasted the Darklighter. A second Darklighter appeared next to him. "Uh…. you take Piper." Phoebe said to Leo.

Paige took Phoebe's hand and orbed her out of the alley and onto the rooftop where the second Darklighter lifted his crossbow to take aim. They both threw their potion vials at the two Darklighters, vanquishing them. A fourth Darklighter appeared behind Phoebe. From their vantage point below, Leo and Piper saw him and called out a warning. The Darklighter swung and hit Phoebe across the face. She flipped and fell over the side of the building onto the trash can below, rolling off it and landing on the ground. The Darklighter orbed out from the rooftop. Paige rushed to the side to look down into the alley as Piper and Leo rushed forward to check on Phoebe.

"Behind you!" Paige yelled.

Piper and Leo turned around as the Darklighter from the house raised his crossbow and took aim. Piper blasted him and he exploded. The blast from the explosion was greater than a normal vanquish. The fire rolled outward engulfing both Piper and Leo completely. The flames sucked inward into itself, then vanished completely. When it cleared, nothing remained.

"Piper!" Paige orbed down to the alley below. Phoebe, stunned by the fall, was just coming to. "Phoebe." Paige helped Phoebe only to find her palm covered in blood.

"Whoa." Phoebe said.

"Oh, my god, you're bleeding."

"Yeah. Uh. Maybe we should get me to the hospital."

Paige helped Phoebe to her feet. "Yeah. I got you." They made their way out of the alley and back to the parked car on the busy street. Paige opened the car door and helped Phoebe into the passenger seat. She shut the door behind her and ran around the car to the driver's side. She took off for the hospital, tires screeching, as fast as she could, swerving back into traffic and maneuvering around pedestrians and other cars alike.

The ER Doctor looked over Phoebe's x-rays up against the view box. "No broken bones, no internal bleeding. Other than a mild concussion, I'd say you're a very lucky woman."

"Great!" Phoebe said. "Does that mean I can go home now?"

"Actually, I think I'd like to keep you here over night just for observation."

"Oh, no. That's not possible."

"Miss Halliwell, I don't have to remind you. You took quite a fall. It's possible you might have more than just a concussion, and sometimes other symptoms don't develop for 24 hours. Yeah, well, I don't have 24 hours. I gotta go. Gotta go."

"You'll have to sign a release." He handed her the form.

"That's fine."

"If you feel any dizziness or light-headedness, call me. Otherwise, I'll see you in a week to remove the stitches."

Phoebe signed the form and handed the chart back to the doctor. "Thanks." The doctor took the chart and left. Phoebe sat back on the table to get dressed.

In the hallway, Paige paced the floor. Just outside the emergency room doors, an ambulance was parked while various injured people were being wheeled in on gurneys. The doctor walked out of the room, saw the injuries, handed the chart to the nurse nearby, and rushed forward to assist.

Paige turned and walked into the room just as Phoebe was putting her jacket on. "Hey. What'd he say? Are you all right?"

"Yeah. Well, he's releasing me, isn't he?" Phoebe said. She saw Paige's worried look. "Ok, don't worry about this, Paige. We're gonna figure something out."

"Ok, but what about Chris?"

"What about Chris?"

"Well, what if he doesn't exist anymore because his mom and dad don't exist anymore?"

"No, if Piper were gone, I would sense it, I know it." They stepped out into the chaos in the hallway. "Oh, my god. What happened?"

"Truck hit a bus." The Emergency Room hallway was extremely busy with emergency personnel and injured people.

They picked their way through it. "Excuse us!"

"Coming through!"

Phoebe stopped and turned around. "What? Do you hear something?"

"Hear what?"

"I could've sworn I heard someone call out my name." As they listened, the sounds of the doctor working on the bus driver on the gurney got louder, the voices becoming more pronounced and clear. The driver apparently died and then was revived. "Let's go."

They turned to leave, but the bus driver murmured, "Leo…. Leo…. you must be an angel."

"Leo?" Paige said. Phoebe suddenly gasped and grabbed her shoulder in pain. "What? What's wrong?"

"Piper." Phoebe said.

"Piper?"

"She's here."

"She can't be."

"She's here. I know it."

"Come on." Paige pulled her to the exit. "We've got to get to Buffy and make sure she's doing ok." Once they were out of sight, they orbed into Buffy's room at Magic School.

"I'm telling you, I felt Piper, as if she were standing right next to me." Phoebe insisted.

"But she wasn't."

"I know. I'm still trying to figure that part out." Phoebe looked at Buffy. "Hi sweetie, how's it going?"

"What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Piper and Leo are, uh…. Well…."

"Uh, Phoebe. Paige." They turned to see Chris walking tiredly into the room toward them.

"Chris, you're ok." Paige said. "Which means Piper and Leo are ok."

"Well, I don't know about them, but I'm, uh…. I'm definitely running out of time here." He pulled out his left hand from his pocket and showed them his transparent arm, slowly disappearing from existence with each passing moment.

"I'm sorry I can't be more help, Chris." Buffy said.

"No. It's cool. I knew you wouldn't be able to do anything today. That's why I'm pushing Phoebe and Paige."

"You knew Alex would be coming today?"

Angel's cell phone started ringing. "Wow. Didn't think I'd get reception here." He pulled it out. "It's the Hyperion. Yeah? Cordelia, I…. No. What's wrong? Can't you guys deal with it? I'm kind of busy. No, this is important. I know the Powers sent it for a reason, but they also sent this baby for a reason and I came back from the dead to be here for the birth and Buffy went through hell and back to have me here. Yes, she's having the baby! Yes, right now. I don't care, Cordelia. Deal with it." He hung up.

Buffy looked at him with a huge grin. "Oh, you are _so_ going to get an earful!"

"Well, I'm not missing this for anything."

"We've also got other problems to deal with." Paige said. "We need to find Piper and Leo so they can make with the nice nice and make Chris. I'm going to go get the Book and bring it here." Paige orbed out just as another contraction hit Buffy.

"Has her water broken?" Phoebe asked Angel.

"Yeah, about an hour ago." Angel said.

"So, we're well into the big show. I need to check and see how far, though. Where's the nurse's room here?"

Phoebe slammed the Book of Shadows closed and put her forehead down on it in frustration. "What?" Paige asked.

"I don't know what else to try." Phoebe said.

"What do you mean?"

"What do you mean, what do I mean? There's nothing else to try."

"Oh, great. Why don't you try telling that to Chris as he fades away?"

"No, I can't."

"You felt Piper." Buffy said. "So that means she's gotta be out there somewhere, and if you can figure out where, then maybe you can figure out how to bring them back. You said we weren't gonna lose her."

"The bus driver." Phoebe said.

"The bus driver what?" Paige asked.

"Well, he was dead. I mean, at least for a little bit, so maybe that wasn't a coincidence. Maybe he actually did see Leo…. in limbo."

"That's good. No, that's bad because that would make them dead."

"Not if someone put them there." Angel said. "Like the Darklighter."

"The one that Piper vanquished?"

"Unless it wasn't really a vanquish." Buffy said. "It was just made to look like a vanquish."

"Check you out! In labor and still thinking clearly." Phoebe opened the Book of Shadows again, this time with something specific to look for. "Ok, ghosts. Ghosts, ghosts…. ghosts…."

Paige walked around and lit the candles on the floor of Buffy's room while Phoebe helped Buffy through another contraction. "You sure a séance is the right move?" Paige asked.

"Well, if they are stuck in the spirit realm, then they're ghosts, right?" Phoebe said, wincing slightly at Buffy's strength.

"Hopefully."

"What, now you're a pessimist?"

"Hey, a girl's allowed to vacillate. It's not like this is an exact science, right?"

Buffy let out a breath. "That was closer that time."

"You're getting closer to getting this little girl out." Phoebe said, patting Buffy's belly.

"Yeah. Go find Piper and Leo."

"Ok, let's do this." Phoebe hopped up just as Chris walked in.

"Sorry, I don't mean to be pushy, but…." They realized that Chris was completely transparent.

"We're working on it. We're working on it." Phoebe said.

"You don't look so good." Buffy said.

Chris smiled slightly. "Neither do you."

"You try doing this and then talk to me about looking good."

Phoebe laughed and went over to recite the spell. "Sister spirit, we call to thee, cross on over so we may see." As they waited for something to happen, Chris disappeared from in front of them.

"Wait, that wasn't supposed to happen, was it?" Buffy asked.

"I'm thinking no." Angel said.

Chris reappeared. "What happened? Where'd you go?" Phoebe asked.

"I just saw Piper and Leo." Chris said.

"And!"

Chris disappeared again and reappeared a minute later. "They think somebody made a portal for the Darklighter to pass through."

"Somebody who?"

Before he could answer Darklighters orbed into the room. "Darklighters!"

"What…." They turned to find two Darklighters standing there.

"They can't be here!" Buffy cried. "This is Magic School."

Phoebe and Paige grabbed potion vials out of their pockets and threw them at the two Darklighters. They vanquished in a wall of fire and smoke as the alarms went off.

"I can't sense Piper anymore." Phoebe said.

"It's too late. And not just for Piper and Leo. Take care." Chris suddenly vanished completely.

"Chris?"

Gideon rushed into the room. "What's going on?"

"Darklighters." Angel said.

"We vanquished them." Phoebe added.

"Gideon, we need your help." Paige said.

"What's wrong?"

"Well, we think we may have lost Chris." Phoebe said.

"What?"

"And Piper and Leo…. And us, too, if we're not careful." Paige said.

"Somebody's got a bunch of Darklighters after us, and one of them's got Piper and Leo trapped…." Phoebe started, but Buffy started having another contraction and she rushed over to her.

"In the Ghostly Plane." Paige finished. "Or the Spirit Realm."

"It's the same thing." Gideon said.

"Right. We made contact with them, but then we lost them. And we lost Chris, too, although we're not sure why, because she can tell if Piper's Dead."

"Yeah, and I can't." Phoebe said.

"So, she must still be around somewhere, we just don't know where. So we need to figure out how to use the Darklighters' portal to get them out. And if you follow all that, you're really a very powerful Elder."

"But Darklighters don't have the power to make portals, let alone use them." Gideon said.

"Right. We have to figure out who can."

"I warned Leo. I told him something like this might happen. What do you need?"

"Well, we know where to find the portal. We just don't know how to reverse it."

Gideon walked out and returned a few minutes later with a large book in his hands. He opened it and showed it to Paige. The page in the book read: EVERYTHING YOU WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT PORTALS BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK. "There." He said.

"Handy."


	38. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

Leo stood in the mouth of the alley facing outward toward the light. He stood still, his eyes closed as he concentrated and meditated. Piper sat slumped against the wall, her jacket around her as a blanket. She awoke suddenly. "Leo?"

He turned around and smiled at her. "Hi."

"What are you doing?"

"Just trying to sense them."

"Any luck?" Piper finally got a good look at Leo. "You don't look so good."

"I know. Listen, about what happened…."

"I don't have any regrets if that's where this is going."

"It's not. But I'm glad you said that. Because I don't either. I just want you to know that I don't have any expectations. Because I know everything that you went through when I became an Elder, and it just…. It wouldn't be fair to put you through that again."

"I'm not sure I understand."

"Neither one of us wanted me to become an Elder, but I did anyway. I was supposed to go up there right away, but I-I didn't."

"Because you wanted to find out who Chris was…. And to protect Wyatt."

"Those aren't the only reasons I didn't go up there, Piper. I was holding on to you. And because of that, I've put you at risk, and I've put my son at risk. I can't let that happen anymore. I won't let that happen."

"Well, fortunately, you won't have to worry about that for much longer." The Darklighter that started all of the mess walked into the alley. Leo stood up to face him, placing himself between the Darklighter and Piper. "I'm a little surprised, actually. Didn't really think you'd come back here. Thought I knew you better than that. Oh, well." He raised his crossbow.

"Let her go. You don't want her." Leo said.

"No…. But I can't pass up my opportunity, can I? It's in my nature. Besides, I wouldn't want A Charmed One coming after me when this is over."

Suddenly, things started to shift and change. Busy sounds burst through the thick silence and various colored items in the alleyway appeared as if by magic. Leo and Piper looked around as the sounds of traffic and sirens and people rushing by filtered into their world. The Darklighter lowered the crossbow, confused by the alterations.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you 'cause this time I'll vanquish you for real." Paige said behind them.

"Well, it's about time." Piper said.

Phoebe stepped out from behind the Darklighter, surrounding him. "Who sent you?"

The Darklighter stood there stunned. From somewhere up above, a Darklighter's arrow hit him in the chest. He staggered back at its impact. Piper looked up to see another Darklighter peering down at them from the rooftop just as the first Darklighter exploded. The one of the roof orbed out.

Chris appeared and solidified suddenly in the alley. He raised his arms high above his head and gave a triumphant shout. "Yes! I'm back!"

"Wait. How is that possible?" Phoebe asked.

"Don't ask me. Ask…." Leo sighed, his strength giving out on him as he slowly collapsed to the ground. "Them."

"Paige, come on, quick. We got to get him to Gideon." Piper said.

Paige stepped forward, grabbed both Piper and Leo and orbed them out of the alleyway. Phoebe grabbed Chris. "Come on. We've got to get back to Buffy."

Buffy took the bundle from Piper as she placed Alexis in her mother's arms. "Congratulations, mommy." Piper said.

The Slayer was sweaty and tired and sore, but completely in awe of the tiny baby in her arms. Paige stood behind Angel and dabbed at her eyes. Phoebe cleaned up as best she could through her tears. Angel sat next to Buffy, his arm around her shoulders so she was cradled in the crook of his arm, and stroked his daughter's cheek. She was absolutely perfect with almost white blonde hair and fair skin and when she opened her eyes, they were the color of the sky on a clear, sunny day.

Phoebe finally finished and went over to stand with Piper. They wrapped and arm around the other's waist and looked at their new born "niece". Leo knocked on the door and walked in with Chris right behind him. "Man," Chris said. "She's so adorable." He looked at Buffy. "Don't let it fool you. She's going to be a handful when she gets older."

Phoebe smacked Chris on the arm. "Don't ruin the moment."

"She's ok?" Leo asked.

"She's flawless." Buffy said.

"And she's got a set of lungs on her." Paige said. "You should've heard her!"

Leo laughed. "Congratulations, Buffy. Angel."

"Thank you." Angel said, not looking away from his daughter.

Paige smiled. "I'll go call Joyce and Victor." She walked out of the room just as Gideon walked in.

"Is everything ok?" He asked. "She's been born?"

"Yeah." Piper said.

"Congratulations, Buffy. And congratulations to you Angel."

"Thank you, Gideon." Buffy said.

"I'd like to extend a blessing from all of the Elders and from everyone here at Magic School. She will be a special and loved child through all of her days."

"Yes." Chris said. "She will."

Buffy smiled. "Thank you."

Piper shut the door to Wyatt and Alex's nursery where Buffy and Angel were working on changing their newborn. She rounded the entry to her bedroom to find Phoebe and Paige waiting for her. "Hi."

"Hi." Phoebe said.

"What's goin' on?"

"Maybe…. Maybe you should sit down for a second."

"Oh, that doesn't sound good."

"No, no! No, it's good. It's good. I mean, you know, it's not bad." Piper sat down reluctantly. "It's a…. It's a really good thing. It's not a bad thing. I think it's a really good thing. Don't you think?"

"Yeah! I mean, it depends." Paige said.

"Uh-huh. That sounds worse." Piper said.

"No, it's just, uh, just complicated."

Buffy walked in. "Did I miss it?"

"No." Phoebe gestured her in. "You didn't miss it."

"Ok, so why don't you guys just tell me what's going on?" Piper said.

"All right. Uh, Paige, Buffy, and I know what happened between you and Leo the other night." They looked at Piper with suppressed smiles on their faces.

Piper stared at them and chuckled, slightly embarrassed. "Wait. Excuse me?"

"Not because anybody told us or anything." Paige said.

"It's just…." Buffy said. "Because of Chris."

"Chris? Why…. Why would Chris know what happened last night?" Piper asked.

"Well, because he wouldn't be here if it didn't." Phoebe said. "Yeah, see, we've known for a while. We just didn't know how to talk to you and Leo about it."

"Talk to us about what?"

Phoebe sighed and looked at Paige. "Is it my turn?" She asked.

"Yeah."

"Yeah. Uh…. Chris is your son." Paige said.

"Wyatt's brother." Buffy added.

"Look, I know this is huge." Phoebe said.

"No, it's…." Piper shook her head and got to her feet. "It's not huge because it's not possible. It's crazy 'cause I'm not pregnant." Phoebe glanced at Piper's stomach, then back up to her face.

"Yeah." Buffy said.

"No, I'm not. I mean, how could that happen? I mean, I know how that could happen, but it…." She stopped and suddenly accepted the possibility. "Oh, what am I gonna do?"

"Maybe you should talk to Leo about it." Phoebe said.

"No, I can't."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Well, because…. Because…. Because I can't."

There was a light knock on the door and Chris appeared in the doorway. "This a bad time?"

Piper turned around and stared wide-eyed at Chris. He swallowed nervously as she stared at him. Buffy walked over to Chris. "What's up?"

"Your mom is here." She ushered him out of the room and down the hall. "You guys told her, didn't you?"

"Yeah."

"Is she ok?"

"She will be. She's just gotta get used to the idea. I mean, we're just your aunts. She's your mom. Kinda different perspectives there."

"Yeah." Buffy headed for the nursery.

"Oh, Angel's not in the nursery. He's in the kitchen."

"Is Alex with him?"

"No. She's sleeping in her crib."

"I'll get her and take her downstairs. Can you tell your mom and your aunts that mom and uncle Victor are here?"

"Uh, sure." Chris reluctantly went back into Piper's room.

Buffy gently picked up her daughter and carried her downstairs. Her mother was standing in the sitting room admiring a new framed photo Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, and Paige were in with Wyatt in Piper's arms. "We've got a couple more from Wyatt's birthday party and Alex's baby shower that we're going to frame."

Joyce turned. "Where's my granddaughter?" She gently took the little bundle from Buffy and rocked her, tears starting to fall. "Oh, Buffy, she's absolutely gorgeous."

Victor walked up behind Buffy with Angel. "And how is the mother this afternoon?"

Buffy turned and hugged her uncle. "I'm great. Tired, but great."

"Get used to the tired part." Joyce said.

"What's her full name?" Victor asked.

"Alexis Prudence Summers." Angel said.

"I figured Prue would like that." Buffy added.

"I know she would." Victor said, leaning over Joyce's shoulder to look at Alex. "Hi there Alexis. I'm your great uncle Victor and this is your grandma. You are just the prettiest thing."

"Dad!" Phoebe rushed down the stairs and hugged Victor. "Isn't she just the most beautiful baby?"

"She is beautiful. She comes from good genes."

"Thanks." Angel said with a slight smile.

"Where're Paige and Piper?" Buffy asked.

"Piper's laying down." Phoebe said. "And Paige headed out. She said she didn't want to intrude on family time."

"She's family. What is she thinking?"

"She said it's not really her side of the family."

"Oh, she's being silly."

"Don't worry about it, sweetheart." Joyce said. "You've got other things to worry about now."

"Phoebs, can you summon Grams for me?"

"Uh, sure. Why?" Phoebe asked.

"I have something I need to ask her."

"Ok."

A few minutes later, Phoebe walked down the stairs with Grams. "Where is she?" Grams walked over to Joyce and gently took Alex. Joyce excused herself to the bathroom as Grams rocked Alex gently. "Finally, a girl is born to this family."

"Actually…." Victor started.

"Don't start with me. This child is more of a Halliwell than she is a Bennett. She was born to a Slayer and to one who shares Charmed blood."

"She does not share…."

"She and Phoebe were twins in a past life and that echoes in their lives today. And the Powers That Be granted this child to Buffy to stand by and protect this family and the future of the world."

"Word really gets around." Buffy said.

"Tell me about it." Phoebe said.

"You wanted to ask me something, dear." Grams said to Buffy.

"Yes, I did. Grams, Angel and I would like to have a Wiccaning for Alex."

Grams smiled. "Oh, my darling." She kissed Buffy's cheek. "I would be more than happy to perform a Wiccaning for you. As long as I can call on the matriarchs of the Halliwell line."

"I wouldn't have it any other way." Buffy took Angel's hand. "_We_ wouldn't have it any other way."


	39. Chapter 39

Chapter 39

"Interesting." Paige said. She was sitting on Piper's bed reading through Phoebe's yearbook. Buffy was sitting on the bed with her holding Alex in her arms. Angel was up in Los Angeles after Doyle had had a particularly bad vision that needed his attention. Piper was in the bathroom dealing with morning sickness that couldn't tell time.

"Are you ok in there?" Buffy called.

Piper walked out of the bathroom. "I don't remember having morning sickness this bad with Wyatt."

"Poor Piper." Buffy patted her cousin's shoulder. "It was pretty bad with Alex every now and then."

"So what's going on?"

"I'm just going over some pictures here trying to educate myself before I go to Phoebe's reunion." Paige said.

Buffy glanced at the yearbook. "Todd Marks. I wonder if he's even still alive."

"Alive? What kind of school did she go to, anyway?"

"Not a bad one, actually." Piper said.

"It's just that Phoebe tended to hang out with the bad-boy crowd back then." Buffy explained.

"Anything to piss off Grams." Piper and Buffy both said.

"Was he her first love?" Paige asked.

"More like first lust." Buffy said.

"Talk about crazy, though." Piper added. She chuckled and pointed to a picture. "Rick Gittridge. He was kind of the leader of their little gang."

"Phoebe was in a gang?" Paige asked.

"Not the drive-by kind, but he was kind of the type."

"If he's at the reunion, I'd stay away from him." Buffy advised.

"This is so weird." Paige said. "It's a whole different side of Miss Phoebe."

"Yeah." Piper said. "I think she missed mom in her life more than Prue or I did. And the more Grams tried to control her, the more she became rebellious."

From the next room, Phoebe screamed. Buffy, Piper, and Paige got up and went into the hallway where Phoebe was rushing through carrying her red dress on a hanger. "Oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god, oh, my god!" Phoebe cried.

"What happened?" Paige asked.

"What happened?" Phoebe squealed. "You want to know what happened?"

"Keep your voice down, Phoebs." Buffy scolded.

Phoebe lowered her voice a couple of octaves, but it was still a bit loud. "The dry cleaner ruined my dress for tonight, that's what happened."

"Phoebe, you know better than to scream in this house if there isn't a demon." Piper said.

"I'm sorry, but what am I supposed to wear to the reunion tonight?"

"How about some prison stripes?" Paige suggested.

"You guys told her about the shoplifting?"

"You little thief."

"No. I acted out, ok? Now back to what I'm supposed to wear tonight."

"I don't know. Why don't you try your little black suit, the one with the thigh slit? You know, sexy, yet successful." Buffy said.

"No. I think black's too threatening. I'll be in my closet." Phoebe turned around and headed straight back to her bedroom.

Chris orbed into the hallway. "Chris, hi." Piper said.

"Hey. Look, I need your help. I think I got scabbars on my tail."

"Oh, well, I have some hydrogen peroxide in my bathroom."

"No! Scabbar demons. I went undercover to follow a lead on who turns Wyatt, but I think they're onto me. All right? I need a cloaking spell just in case. Is the book still in the attic?"

"Yeah, last I saw." Paige said.

"Hey aunt Buffy!" Chris said before he turned and rushed up the attic stairs.

"Want me to help you?" Piper called. When there was no reply, Piper sighed. "He hates me."

"No, he doesn't." Buffy said.

"Yeah, he does." Piper turned and headed back into her bedroom.

"He's just distracted by imminent death, that's all."

"That's no excuse. I mean, he's been avoiding me for weeks. He won't even look at me. What could I have done in the future that would be so bad?"

"Maybe he should have a father-son talk." Paige said.

"No, I can't do that to Leo. He had a hard enough time letting go. Besides, he doesn't even know that I'm pregnant."

"I know, but don't boys need their…."

"I know. And that's why I called my father, so he could figure out why his surly new grandson hates me." Piper's stomach gurgled. "Uh-oh." She got to her feet and slowly made her way back to the bathroom.

Paige stood up to help her. "I got you."

Phoebe rushed into the bedroom carrying an off-white dress on a hanger. She held it up for them to look at. "Guys, how about this one?" They were already in the bathroom, the door closing behind them, so she turned to Buffy.

Buffy nodded approvingly. "Nice. I like it. You know, it looks vaguely familiar."

"You're a mommy now. You're not going to wear it."

"Just because I'm a mommy now doesn't mean I can't look sexy every now and then."

"Can I borrow it? Please, please, please?"

Buffy sighed. "Ok."

"Yes! Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!" Phoebe spotted her old yearbook open on the inside covers. She chuckled at the sight of all the signatures inside the covers. She picked the book up and glanced at something. "I remember this poem."

"Which one?"

"'Those who mock who I am, let them always remember when.'" Alex made a noise and Buffy looked down at her, completely missing Phoebe momentarily flash into her teenage self. "Whoa."

"What?"

"Just got a little dizzy there."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just nerves, I guess."

"Phoebs, you'll be fine." Buffy reached out and squeezed her cousin's hand. "You'll go in there looking fabulous and you're famous, so you've already trumped everyone's success stories, and you're not that girl anymore."

Phoebe smiled. "Thanks." She squeezed Buffy's hand gratefully. "I needed that." She turned and walked out to go finish getting ready.

Buffy and Piper were in the kitchen cleaning up after their dinner when the doorbell rang. "That's dad." Piper said.

"I'll get it." Buffy said.

"No, no. Don't worry about it." Piper stood up from the table. She grabbed the baby monitor off the island so Buffy wouldn't have to worry about cleaning and keeping an ear on the kids and headed out to the foyer. "Hi."

"Piper." Victor said with a smile. She laughed as he stepped into the house and gave her a big hug. "Honey, good to see you."

"Good to see you."

"All of you! Look, you're pregnant!"

"Yeah, it looks that way, huh?"

"Well…. when did this happen?"

"Oh, well, you know, I've been meaning to call you, but, you know, I…. I'm…. Leo's the father."

"Leo? I thought you guys split up."

"We did."

"W-well, th-then how did…. I don't understand."

"Uh, he was dying, and I was crying, um…. It's all very complicated."

"So, Leo, he's, um…. moved on?"

"Yeah, but I'm happy for him. He really wanted to go."

"He wanted to die?"

"No, no, no. He's not dead. He's just up there being a full-time Elder."

"But he doesn't know about this?"

"No. No. Not yet. Did I mention this was all very complicated? The point is, he's not around."

"Was he ever?"

"Were you? Sorry."

"No, no, no. I, uh…. I deserved that. I wasn't around enough for you girls, but, uh, I want to make up for that with Wyatt and his little, um…."

"It's a boy. Chris, actually."

"Chris. Why did you choose that name?"

"I don't know…. and he won't tell me. He's very secretive about the future. He's actually the reason I asked you to come. See, he, um, hates me, and he doesn't want to talk to me, and I need you to find out why."

"I don't understand your wiccan ways, but I'll try." He leaned forward and started speaking to Piper's stomach. Buffy chose that moment to be walking by on her way up to check on Alex and Wyatt. She stopped to watch. "Hello, Chris. Chris?" Piper rolled her eyes as Victor got a little louder. "Hello, Chris. Can you hear me?"

"Someone calling me?" Chris asked from the top of the stairs.

Buffy chuckled at her uncle's widened eyes and pointed to the living room. "Yeah, uh, sweetie, could you come here a sec?" Piper called.

"Jeez! He can come out?" Victor cried.

Buffy couldn't contain her laugher anymore as Chris came down the stairs saying, "Uh…. Can we air this out, 'cause I gotta get…. Grandpa!" With a huge grin on his face, Chris rushed past Buffy and Piper and wrapped his arms around his grandfather, giving him an enthusiastic hug while Piper and Buffy watched, both of them absolutely stunned by his reaction.

"I, uh….." Victor was speechless.

"Dad, this is Chris. He's my son…. From the future." Piper said.

"Uh…."

"It was a shock for all of us too." Buffy said.

Victor looked at Buffy, finally realizing she was in the room. "Buffy, sweetheart."

"Hi, uncle Victor." She hugged him quickly. "I've got to go check on Alex. There's coffee in the kitchen. I just made it." Buffy turned and walked upstairs to check on her daughter. Alex was awake and simply refused to go back to sleep, so Buffy picked her up and took her downstairs. Chris, Piper, and Victor sat at the kitchen table drinking out of coffee mugs. Buffy could tell Chris was thrilled to see his grandfather while Victor was obviously trying to adjust to it all.

"So we're close?" Victor asked.

"Yeah. You're awesome, grandpa." Chris said.

"Hear that? 'Awesome'." Victor looked up and saw Buffy with Alex.

"She wouldn't go back to sleep." Buffy explained as Victor took his grandniece. "So apparently Chris and uncle Victor are very close."

"Yeah." Chris said. "After The Event happened…. We got really close."

"What Event?" Piper and Buffy asked.

"I can't tell you."

"Is this, um, event my fault?" Piper asked. "Is that why you're treating me like a non-person?"

"I can't talk about it. It will mess with the future."

"But you did say I was 'awesome', right?" Victor asked. "You can talk about that?"

"Yeah. You're the best. I love hanging out with you."

"I got to admit I'm a little surprised. I mean…. It's no secret I wasn't the greatest dad. It means a lot to me that I could do something for you. To make up for it."

"You do."

"After 'The Event'." Piper said.

"Right."

"That you won't tell me about."

"I told you, I can't talk about it, ok?"

"Hey. Don't talk to your mother like that, ok?" Victor scolded.

"You're right. I'm sorry."

"Piper! Buffy!" Paige called from the foyer.

Buffy and Piper got up to head into the other room. "Hey. What's going on?" Piper asked.

"Hi, Daddy!" Phoebe rushed forward, past Buffy and Piper and hugged Victor.

"Hey, sweetie." Victor said.

"Hey."

Paige pulled Phoebe away from Victor and pushed her toward the stairs. "Ok. Hate to cut this reunion short. I think you've had enough of those for today. You go upstairs till we figure this out."

"Bye, dad." Phoebe headed up the stairs as Chris entered the room.

"What happened?" He asked.

"Well, you've heard of recapturing your youth. I think Phoebe's youth is trying to capture her." Paige said.

"Explain." Piper said.

"I don't know. It's like one minute she was totally normal, the next it's like she's 'Freaky Phoebe.'"

"Great. Who else saw?" Chris asked.

"No one. She changed back before anyone noticed."

"I'm having a little trouble keeping up here." Victor said. "Phoebe's being chased by, what, demons?"

"Maybe inner demons or a spell gone wrong?" Paige said. "It seemed to happen after someone named Paula Marks called her…. Freebie?"

"Oh, yeah. That'll do it." Buffy said knowingly. Her cousin had hated that name in high school.

"You guys want to go upstairs with me and check the book, see if there's anything?" Paige asked Buffy and Piper.

"Ok." Piper said.

"Sure." Buffy agreed.

"You guys go ahead." Chris said. "I need to get back to the scabbar demons before they know I'm missing."

"Hey, wait!" Piper said. "What, and leave your 'awesome' grandpa alone? Grab a sandwich, grab a beer, get an answer." She turned and followed Buffy and Paige upstairs.


	40. Chapter 40

Chapter 40

Piper took out a container from the refrigerator just as the phone rang. Paige had gone to find Phoebe since she'd turned into her teenage self and snuck out her window like she used to. Buffy made it to the phone before Piper and picked it up. "Hello."

"Ok, I found Phoebe." Paige said. "I have good news, and I have bad news."

"Give me the good."

"Well, um, I now know what Phoebe was like as a teenager. That's also the bad news."

"How bad is it?"

"In a word…." Buffy heard a woman scream and something crash to the floor. "Bad." She heard Phoebe say something in the background and then Paige started yelling, "Phoebe! Phoebe!"

"Paige?"

"She's gone. I'll call you back." Paige hung up on Buffy.

"Well?" Piper asked.

"She found Phoebe and then lost her."

"So, all we have to do is wait for her to get arrested."

"That happened twice. I don't think she's going to do anything like that again."

Paige orbed in. "She and her friends stole a police car."

Piper shot Buffy a look. "You were saying?"

"Shut up." Buffy shot back. "Ok, so now what?"

"We've got to find her and fix this." Paige said. "She did something to the entire reunion. Everyone was acting like they were teenagers again, too."

"So let's get to it." Piper said.

"Preferably before she gets tossed in jail for a felony." Buffy said.

Paige held the crystal over the map as she scryed for Phoebe. She, Buffy, and Piper were in the attic with the Book. Buffy and Piper took turns with the baby monitor and flipping through the Book to find a reversal spell for what Phoebe had done.

"Damn it, I thought I had her." Paige said. "She's on the move again."

Piper looked up from reading a page on scabbar demons. "Well, we better find her soon, 'cause we're gonna need her if those scabbar demons come after Chris. I can't believe I let him go out with dad. What was I thinking?"

"You weren't thinking." Buffy said. "You were actually feeling, which is allowed in this family."

Chris and Victor orbed into the attic with Victor looking a bit shell-shocked. "You're ok." Piper said.

Victor slowly turned his head to look at her. "Who says I'm ok?"

Chris laughed as his grandpa sat down. "Don't worry. You'll get used to orbing in the future."

"I thought something might have happened to you." Piper said.

"No. We're fine. We just…. Talked. Really, I'm fine."

"Yeah, well, Phoebe's not." Paige said. "She's out there running around with her old gang."

"I thought she was downstairs." Victor said.

"No, she's out the window." Buffy said.

"And even worse, she's under the influence." Paige added.

"Of alcohol?" Chris asked, confused.

"Adolescence." Buffy said. "She stole a cop car as a prank."

"That's not a prank. It's a felony." Victor said.

"Yeah, well, teen Phoebe also happens to have her adult powers, and she cast a spell on her entire reunion class." Paige said.

"What?" Chris cried.

"Don't worry." Piper said. "Paige was able to reverse it all, but…. Ohh…." Piper suddenly got woozy and swayed on her feet. Chris and Victor reached out to help her.

"Whoa. Here. Ok." Chris said.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. I'm just a little light-headed." Piper said.

"Sorry." Chris said. "You know, about me."

"Hmm. Must have been some hell of a talk there."

"Yeah." Victor said. "Gotta get off your feet, honey. Come on."

Victor led Piper out of the attic and Chris turned to look at Buffy and Paige. "Look, we need to stop Phoebe before she gets into some trouble that we can't get her out of."

"We're trying." Paige said. "She keeps moving. She keeps…. Oh…." The crystal fell on the map. "I got her."

Two scabbar demons appeared in the attic next to Chris. He turned and saw them just as they turned and saw him. Chris orbed out as the scabbar demons shot yellow acid from their mouths at him. The yellow acid flew easily through the orbs and hit the large cabinet against the far wall. The cabinet glass shattered and fell to the floor. Buffy grabbed the Book of Shadows and she and Paige hid behind the scrying table. Chris orbed back in next to them.

Paige waved motioned with her hand and said, "Glass!"

The glass shards from the broken cabinet from across the room orbed up and stabbed a scabbar demon in his abdomen. The glass dissolved and the wound healed. The demon turned to look at Paige. He took a deep breath and shot yellow goo at her. Buffy, who was in the middle of Chris and Paige, pushed them in opposite directions out of the way and she flipped away just as the yellow acidic goo hit and dissolved the scrying table, crystal, and map.

Piper and Victor walked back into the attic. Piper saw the scabbar demon first and pushed Victor back out of the attic and into the hallway. The demon took a deep breath and Piper blew him up from the inside, but it wasn't enough to vanquish him. The second demon spit out yellow acidic goo, but Paige held out her hand to deflect the stuff shooting toward her.

"Icky stuff!"

The yellow goo orbed back to the second demon and hit him square in the chest. He was vanquished in a wall of fire and smoke. The first demon turned and glared at Paige before promptly disappearing out of the attic.

Buffy stood up with Chris and looked at Paige. "'Icky stuff'?"

"It worked." Paige defended.

"Here." Chris handed the Book of Shadows to Paige. Buffy had shoved it into his hands as she'd shoved him out of the way. "Sorry about all this."

"It's ok." Piper said. "Kids are messy."

"They'll be back."

"And we'll handle it."

Paige picked up the destroyed scrying crystal. "Uh-oh. Any idea how we're gonna find Phoebe now?"

"There's probably something in the Book." Piper said.

"We've got to keep Chris safe." Buffy said. "Those demons were bad news and we can't take any chances."

"Buffy's right. Ok, Paige, you take the Book downstairs and figure out how to get Phoebe back. Buffy and I'll stay up here and clean up and I'll get some crystals to put around the attic."

"But…." Chris was waved away as Piper walked out of the attic.

"Ok, buster." Buffy said to Chris. "This is your mess, so help clean please." Chris sighed and got to work helping Buffy and Victor straighten up.

Piper walked back in and started placing crystals around the attic. She put the last crystal on the attic window sill and turned to Chris. "The crystals should protect you. They won't be able to find you as long as you stay in the attic."

"You sure about that?" Chris asked.

"Well, I'm…. pretty sure."

"Ok. Well, you and Wyatt and aunt Buffy and Alex need to go someplace safe. I'm gonna go get them."

"No. You are not leaving this room." Piper said, stopping Chris in his tracks.

"But what about you?"

"What about me? I have to stay here and help Paige summon Phoebe."

"I'm part-witch, remember? I can help Paige do that."

"You can't vanquish the demons if they come and attack again."

"Well, I can try."

"Listen to your mother, Chris." Victor said.

"What if something happens to her?"

"Nothing's gonna happen to me." Piper said. Chris turned to look back at Piper. "Unless you know something that I don't." Chris didn't say anything.

Victor stepped forward. "Nothing's gonna happen to you, honey…. not now."

"Oh. So…. When?" Chris still didn't say anything. "Chris…. is that what you've been living with, knowing that something happens to me?" His silence spoke volumes. "I see. Well, does it happen soon?"

"I can't tell you that." Chris said. "It could change the future in even worse ways."

"Right, but isn't that why you came here in the first place: to make the future better? How do you know you haven't already changed mine?"

"She's got a point." Buffy said.

"Well, whatever it is, it, uh, obviously doesn't happen until you're born, so…. save it. Got it?"

"I got it, mom." Chris said automatically. Piper smiled at that.

"So," Buffy said. "Summoning Phoebe?"

"Yeah, Paige works quick." Piper said. "She said that she's got to get some stuff together and then we can summon Phoebe back here."

A few minutes later, Paige came back up into the attic carrying the Book and some ingredients. A few minutes after that, white orbs brought Phoebe into the attic and she materialized standing within a circle of candles.

"Honey, are you ok?" Victor asked.

"No, I'm not. You have to send me back." Phoebe said.

"You're not a teenager anymore." Paige said.

"Very good, Paige. Now, please, send me back."

"But wait. We need the Power of Three to vanquish the demons that are after Chris." Piper said.

"No, Piper, it's gonna have to wait. There are innocents in danger."

"What if you revert back?" Buffy asked.

"I won't. Look, there's a crazy man with a shotgun. Now please send me back."

Piper and Victor leaned over Wyatt's crib and watched him sleep. Buffy was behind them in the rocking chair with Alex trying to get her to go back to sleep. Apparently she'd inherited her mother and father's nocturnal tendencies.

"I wish I was asleep." Piper said.

"You should sleep." Victor said.

"He's right, Piper." Buffy said.

"No, I can't." Piper argued. "Not until Phoebe's back and Chris' demons are vanquished and I accept the fact that apparently I die young." Victor suddenly became silent, his entire demeanor changing. "You know, don't you? When it happens."

"It's like you said." Victor said. "The future could have changed. I do know that Chris loves you."

"Yeah?"

"Yeah. I love you, too."

Suddenly there was a loud crashing thud from downstairs. Piper was already heading toward the door. Buffy started to get up, but Piper waved her back down. "You guys wait here. Wyatt's force field will protect you."

Paige appeared in the doorway and stopped Piper. "You stay put. I'm gonna take care of that, ok? Just keep Chris in the attic."

Buffy handed Alex to Piper. "I've got to go. It's Phoebe."

"Buffy…." Piper tried to stop her, but the Slayer was too quick.

Buffy caught up to Paige and they rushed downstairs to find Phoebe on the floor with Rick Gittridge towering over her in the foyer. 'What's going on?"

Rick turned around and pointed the gun at Buffy and Paige. "Who are you?"

Phoebe scrambled to her feet to stop him. "Don't. She's my sister and that's Buffy."

"Your cousin?" Rick looked Buffy up and down. "Well, look who grew up into a hot piece of ass." Buffy took a threatening step forward, but Rick cocked the gun. "Ah, ah, ah. And how about you? Are you a witch, too?"

"No, I'm the person that's going to snap your neck if you harm one hair on her." Buffy said.

"Feisty. And how about you, sugar lips?" Rick said to Paige. "You a witch?"

"Yeah. You could say it runs in the family." Paige said.

"Good. Then maybe she can give me a new face."

"You know, we'd be more than happy to give you a new face once you tell us where Ramona is." Phoebe said.

"What the hell. You're my leverage now, anyway. She's locked in a tank under the pumping station."

"How do we know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't. Now…. My face. Make it different. Hey. Heartbreaking. Charming. Young."

"You know, I'm thinking…. Maybe you should use our nephew for inspiration."

"Go for it Paige." Buffy said.

"Who you were, you're now another, take the face of Wyatt's brother."

Rick morphed into Chris. He turned and checked out his new face in the mirror. "Yeah. I like it. This will work." Satisfied, he walked back toward them.

"Phoebs, watch out. This could get messy." Buffy said, pulling Paige and Phoebe to take cover behind a wall.

Rick watched them, puzzled by their behavior. Behind him, three scabbar demons appeared in the sitting room. Rick turned around and immediately fired at two of them. The bullets had no affect on the demons. They opened their mouths, hissing and spewing yellow acidic goo at Rick. The powerful goo literally melted him where he stood. Satisfied that he was gone, the scabbar demons left.

Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige came out of hiding. "You ok?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah." Phoebe stood up and looked around.

"You know you had to, right?" Paige asked.

"I know."

Buffy hugged Phoebe tightly. "It's ok. It still doesn't make it easier, I know."

Buffy sat with Wyatt, Chris, and Alex in the conservatory while Piper walked Victor to the door. Chris had Wyatt and Alex on his lap and he was reading a book to them. Buffy was sitting in the sun enjoying the warmth on her skin. Neither one of them saw Piper walk in and smile as she watched her two sons together on the floor with her niece. She moved off, leaving them alone.

Buffy sighed and Chris looked up at her. "He'll be back." Chris said.

"Huh?" Buffy asked.

"Angel. He'll be back soon."

"I know. I'm not sighing about that."

"Oh."

"I was just…. Thinking."

"About?"

"Be honest with me, ok?" Chris nodded. "Are we close in the future?"

Chris hesitated before saying, "We were."

"Were? So I'm dead too?"

"I can't tell you."

"Come on, Chris. You gave yourself away."

Chris sighed. "Yeah, you're…. dead too."

"You hesitated again. I'm not a vampire am I?"

Chris hesitated again. "I can't tell you."

"You just did." Buffy sighed. "Who?" Chris looked at Buffy for a long moment. "Chris."

"Angelus."

Buffy's eyebrows raised. "What?" She shook her head. "His soul is permanent. Angelus can't come back."

"When you've got more power on your side than even the Source, nothing is permanent."

"Wyatt changes Angel?" Chris didn't say anything. "Chris."

"I've already said too much, Buffy. It could change the future."

Buffy shook her head. "I hope it does. No, I know it'll change the future."

"How?"

"Because Angelus won't get near me."

"Try saying that after you've had everything taken away from you." Chris stood up and put the kids in the playpen.

Buffy could only watch him walk away and contemplate his words. Finally, picking up the baby monitor, she walked out to find him. He was sitting in the kitchen picking at a paper towel. "Chris," Buffy sat down next to him. "Will you tell me what happened?"

"Sibling rivalry." Chris said after a long moment. "You and Angel were the only family I had left after the Event. Alex…. When Wyatt went bad…. She went with him. They're connected pretty strongly. Well, Wyatt was pissed off that you were still good after everything."

"Why?"

"You were his mentor. You taught him everything about being a fighter. He looked up to you."

"Oh."

"So, to hurt both of us, he turned Angel into Angelus. You had to fight him off night after night. But I could see it in your eyes that you were tired of it. We got into more and more arguments because I was just a teenager and you know how they are. Teens like to push the boundaries. And then one night…. You didn't come home. It's my fault what happened to you."

"Don't say that."

"You weren't there. If I hadn't have pushed you like I did…."

"Chris, I can be sure of one thing. It is _not_ your fault I got turned in your future. I would never leave you alone like that. You're my nephew and I love you. Angelus is smart and cunning. If he and I fought night after night, he would've gained the knowledge of how to get what he wanted from me one way or another."

"But…."

"Chris, I was a teenager not so long ago too. I know what it is to push your parents and your family. But I also know that family doesn't give up on you no matter what you do or what circumstance throws at you." She took his hand and squeezed. "Chris, it is not you're fault what happened to me. Don't ever, _ever_ think that again. Do you understand me?"

Chris stared at her and knew that if his aunt meant every word. He smiled finally. "I understand, aunt Buffy."

"Good. And I promise you here and now for whatever our future holds that I won't leave you. I'll always be here for you when you need me."

Chris leaned forward and hugged Buffy tightly. "Thank you." Buffy smiled and hugged Chris back.


	41. Chapter 41

Chapter 41

Buffy walked into the kitchen where Phoebe was standing in front of the stove mixing a large pot with a mixing spoon. She put the spoon aside and turned around to get another ingredient from the counter. The Book of Shadows was open next to the stove.

Buffy shook her head and continued towards the coffee machine. "Morning. How was your date?"

"Good." Phoebe said. "Other than the fact that he's not the man of my dreams."

"You can tell that from one date?"

"I can tell that because I see nothing in the future for us besides sex, and I'm not interested in…."

"Sex?"

"No, wasting my time. Either you're the father of the child that I saw in my vision or not. So I'm moving on. Can you pass me the asphodel root?"

Buffy turned around and handed Phoebe the dish full of the ingredient. "Yeah. What, are you demon hunting?"

"No, lunch date. I want to make sure I get a hit off of him before the entrees come. No sense wasting those calories, right?"

"Wait a second. So now you're trying to force premonitions on your dates?"

"It's the quickest way to find out who I'm looking for, right?"

"Does it even matter to you that you're breaking every wiccan rule that exists?"

"I think after all these years, I know what I'm doing. Besides, with Piper in magic school, we're down a power. We could use the extra boost." A week ago, Piper had gotten captured by a spider demon and had nearly been killed. Leo had come down to help and found out he was going to be a father again and he found out that Chris was his son. To ensure Piper's and Chris's safety, Leo had taken Piper to Magic School where she was staying till Chris was born.

"Maybe." Buffy said finally. "I just hope you don't misuse it."

Chris orbed into the kitchen. He spotted the Book of Shadows on the counter. "There's the book. Do you mind?"

"No, knock yourself out." Phoebe said.

He pulled the Book of Shadows toward him and flipped the page over, not really reading it. He seemed more interested in telling them his theory. "Been working some demonic connections. I think I have a new theory on who might be trying to turn Wyatt evil."

"A new theory. What's that, the third one this week?" Buffy asked.

"What? Are you keeping score now?"

"She's just grumpy cause she hasn't had her coffee yet." Phoebe said.

Buffy stuck her tongue out at Phoebe. "I am not grumpy. I'm a new mom. And you have to admit you've had a lot of different theories lately, and none of them have panned out."

"That's why they call them theories." Chris retorted.

Buffy poked Chris in the arm. "Watch it, bub. I'm a Slayer who hasn't had her morning coffee yet. It could be fatal." Chris chuckled as she sipped at her now full mug. "So how's Piper? Have you seen her?"

"She's good. Uh, big. You know, I keep thinking how weird it's gonna be to see myself being born."

"And how's Leo?" Phoebe asked.

"Leo? Don't know. Haven't seen him."

"That's because you're avoiding him still, aren't you?" Buffy said. "Chris, he's your father. You have to talk to him. How are you gonna change anything in the future if you don't?"

"It's not the future I came back to change. Thanks." Chris shut the Book of Shadows and orbed out of the kitchen.

Phoebe shot a look at Buffy. "Hey, don't look at me. I'm grumpy." Buffy said. The doorbell rang and she turned to go to the foyer. Phoebe abandoned her potion to follow. Buffy opened the door to find Shelia Morris standing on their front porch teary-eyed and distraught. "Sheila. What's the matter? Come in, come in, come in." She pulled Shelia into the house and closed the door behind her.

Angel walked downstairs with Alex in his arms. "What's going on?"

"It's Darryl." Shelia said.

"What about Darryl? Is he ok?" Phoebe asked.

"They just arrested him. For murder."

"What!" Buffy and Phoebe cried.

"I don't know what to do."

Buffy hugged Shelia tightly. "Let me get dressed and we'll figure this out, ok?"

Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige sat in the visiting room at the police station with Darryl. They sat across the table from each other, a small partition across the table between them and a uniformed guard standing watch near the door. Phoebe and Paige had filled Buffy in on everything that had happened the night before.

"I don't even know what happened. It's all kind of a blur." Darryl said.

"What are you talking about? It was self-defense. He shot first. Several times." Phoebe said.

"He did?"

"You don't remember any of that?" Paige asked. "Did you get hit on the head or something? Maybe when you pushed him down."

"No, he was fine after that. Something weird is going on here." Phoebe said.

The door opened and Darryl's lawyer walked into the room. "Lieutenant Morris. I'm sorry, but we really have to prepare for your arraignment."

"It's ok. They're my friends." Darryl said.

"Yeah, and there's a problem here because this man is innocent." Buffy said.

"Yeah? How do you know?" The lawyer asked.

"Because I was there…." Phoebe said. "Driving around in the area."

"Perjuring yourself isn't going to help any, lady. The prosecution's evidence is overwhelming, trust me."

"Evidence? What evidence?" Paige asked.

"It's ok." Darryl said. "Show them."

The lawyer set up his laptop and inserted a disk in the drive. The scene showed the burglar backing away, arms raised as Darryl advanced, his gun on the bad guy. "Please." The man cried. "Please don't kill me! No! Don't kill me!" Darryl fired and the man fell to the ground, dead.

"That's not what happened." Phoebe said.

"Who made this tape?" Buffy asked.

"Excuse me?" The lawyer asked.

"Who made this tape?"

"Inspector Sheridan."

"Thanks." Buffy stood up. "Darryl, we're going to get you out of this."

Inspector Sheridan was sitting quietly at her desk while the rest of the bullpen rustled with activity. Buffy marched up to her with Phoebe and Paige right behind her. "Inspector Sheridan." Buffy said.

"Yes." The inspector said.

"We'd like to talk to you."

"Easy." Paige said.

Buffy waved her off. "Do you have a personal grudge against Darryl Morris?"

"Morris?" Sheridan asked.

"Yeah. We know you faked the images on the tape. And we're here to let you know that we're not gonna sit around and watch you frame our friend."

"She's a little upset." Phoebe explained.

"Yes, I can see that. And you are?"

"Phoebe Halliwell."

"Halliwell. Hmm. Your name certainly pops up in his file plenty. For the record, I didn't fake anything, cause I was there, undercover, and I saw it go down with my own eyes. I've been Investigating Morris for a few weeks now, trying to figure out why so many of his suspects over the last five years just vanish or mysteriously wind up dead. Now I know. He takes the law into his own hands. Excuse me." Sheridan stood up and left.

Paige looked at Phoebe. "Well…."

"If she was lying, I couldn't sense it." Phoebe said.

"Then how do you explain what happened?"

Buffy sighed. "We're going to check out the scene and figure it out from there."

"Or I have a better idea." Phoebe said.

Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe orbed into a busy marketplace. As soon as they materialized, those who saw them appear out of nowhere screamed and ran away from them in fright. Paige sighed and looked at Phoebe. "Sure hope this works."

"It will." Phoebe pointed. "Coffee cart."

Paige waved her hand. "Orb away." The large gourmet coffee cart vanished. The vendor and the customer ducked and ran.

Buffy waved her hand, using Prue's magic, and knocked over a whole cart selling fruits and vegetables. They slowly made their way through the market and did as much damage as possible. "Flowers that bring desire, make them turn into fire." Phoebe chanted. The flower car burst into flames. The crowd panicked and people screamed, running for cover. Suddenly, everyone around them froze. They turned around and saw two cleaners in their pristine white suits standing near the overturned fruits and vegetables.

"I see you got our message." Phoebe said.

"What do you think you're doing now?" The first cleaner said.

"Well, we didn't know how else to call for you. Figured you weren't listed in the yellow pages."

"What do you want?"

"We want to know why you framed Darryl Morris." Buffy said. "That was your doing, wasn't it?"

"Magic was exposed. We were forced to clean it up."

"Change what was." The second cleaner said.

"To protect you."

"I thought we resolved this the last time you guys tried to intervene." Phoebe said. "We clean up our own magical messes."

"But you didn't even know about this one. You didn't realize you were being followed. Taped."

"We always manage to fix these things somehow." Paige said.

"No, you wouldn't have. That's why we were put on the case to begin with. It was anticipated."

"You know what?" Buffy said. "I don't care. If you don't free Darryl Morris, we're just gonna keep exposing magic…."

"This will not be like our last encounter. We're under strict orders not to negotiate with you this time."

Buffy exchanged glances with her cousins. "Strict orders from whom?"

"The Tribunal." Leo said. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige had orbed to Magic School to talk to Gideon and Leo had been there. The cleaners had told them the name of their superiors. "It's a council made up of Elders and Demons to monitor magic, to make sure nobody ever finds out about its use."

"At whatever the cost." Gideon added.

"Which is why they created the cleaners and gave them the power to erase events, memories."

"Or in this case, to change them." Paige said.

"It's just part of the grand design; to allow magic to influence but not take over free will."

"It's the one thing both sides could agree upon." Gideon said.

"Ok, so how do we find this tribunal?" Buffy asked.

"Hey." Piper said from behind them. "What are you guys doing here?" They turned around and one look at their faces and Piper knew something was up. "Uh-oh. What's wrong?"

"It's Darryl." Leo said.

"Our friendly cleaners have struck again." Paige said. "He's in jail for murder."

"What? Why? What happened?" Piper asked.

"Someone was in a hurry."

"Oh, wait." Phoebe said. "Are we blaming me for this? Did we or did we not catch the demon?"

"Yeah, but you forced the premonition, so maybe we could've been more careful, and maybe we could've seen that somebody was watching."

"And if I hadn't, we would've never caught the killer."

"All right, guys, this isn't helping." Buffy said.

"I know. It isn't. There's only one thing that will." Phoebe looked at Gideon.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"We don't have a choice. Our friend is innocent."

Gideon orbed Buffy, Phoebe, Paige, and Leo to the Tribunal Hall. They stood on a large circular platform lit underneath by light. Up above them was nothing but a black void.

"Where are we?" Paige asked.

"Nowhere. Anywhere." Gideon said. "You don't want to know. You should know that the tribunal is not like anything you've ever faced before. They are not a power to be trifled with."

"We understand." Phoebe said.

"Do you? You might not like what's been happening to your friend, but be aware before you embark upon this journey that where it ends might just be worse."

"Call them." Buffy said.

Gideon raised his arms high above his head and proclaimed in a loud booming voice into the void around them, "Di! Ecce hora! Uxor mea me necabit!" A wind stirred around them. High above them in the black void, four large visions of floating heads appeared: two Elders and two Demons.

"What reason have you to call the Tribunal?" Crill, a demon head, asked.

"To challenge the actions of the cleaners on behalf of The Charmed Ones and the Slayer."

"The Charmed Ones?" Thrask, the other demon, said. "But there are only two."

"The other is with child." Aramis said. "I assume the sisters and the cousin will speak for her in abstentia."

"Yeah." Phoebe said. "In abstentia. Your…. Greatness?"

"There's four of them. How do they break a tie?" Paige asked.

"You don't want to know." Leo said.

"Your request has been granted." Adair, the final Elder, said. Immediately, two tables appeared apart from each other. One table had one chair for the prosecution, the other table had four chairs for the defense. Behind them, flames appeared as a demon materialized next to the prosecution table. Everyone turned around and looked at Barbas, The Demon of Fear.

"Barbas? What the hell is he doing here?" Phoebe asked.

"You missed me." Barbas said.

"Didn't we vanquish you?" Buffy asked.

"To the fires of hell. I've been granted a temporary leave of absence in order to act as your opposing counsel."

"We liked his pitch." Crill said.

"Pitch? What pitch?" Leo asked. "How did he even know about it?"

"We have the right to choose anybody we wish." Thrask said.

"Gideon…." Buffy said.

Gideon nodded. "Your Honors, in the interests of facts…."

"On that fairness issue," Barbas interrupted. "I submit that in order to expedite matters and to keep The Charmed Ones and the Slayer honest…."

"Us…. honest?" Paige asked incredulously.

"Uh, for their own good, we graphically remind them as to what exactly is at stake here so they do not foolishly try some trickery in order to slip away like they did the last time they faced the Cleaners."

"It is done." Aramis said.

"What is done?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm not sure." Gideon said. He walked around the center of the platform and a hologram of Darryl and Shelia appeared. Darryl was in his prison orange jumpsuit and they were both sitting in his cell.

"Darryl?" Buffy asked.

Darryl's lawyer walked up to the cell doors. "The governor denied the stay."

"What stay? What's going on?" Leo asked.

"We have accelerated time." Crill said. "But only for the execution."

"Execution?" Buffy sputtered.

"You have until midnight to convince us, or his sentence will be carried out." Adair said.

"Magic will be protected one way or the other." Aramis added.


	42. Chapter 42

Chapter 42

Buffy stood with Leo behind Phoebe and Paige, who were sitting at the defense table. Gideon stood in front of the table while Barbas leaned casually against the prosecution's table. "We didn't know signing up for this would put Darryl on death row." Buffy said.

"I warned you about invoking the tribunal." Gideon said.

"Yeah, well, you didn't warn us they would call upon our worst enemy." Phoebe retorted.

"Gideon, your case." Aramis said.

"Yes, your honor, in just a few more moments, if you please." Gideon said.

"We don't." Thrask said. "You're the ones who called for us. Proceed."

"We called for justice, not the Demon of Fear." Phoebe said.

"I don't see the problem with me being here." Barbas said.

"There's a conflict of interest, and we believe that the tribunal should recognize this." Phoebe lowered her voice and said, "I think this is a setup."

"Phoebe…." Leo warned.

"How dare you question our integrity." Adair said.

"Not yours." Phoebe stood up and pointed to Barbas and the other two demons. "Theirs. Barbas has tried to kill us three times in the past." She stepped into the center circle of the platform and immediately, it hummed and glowed blue. She immediately took a step out of the center circle, but it was too late.

A hologram appeared showing Phoebe walking around a property looking for someone. _"Mrs. Joffee. It's SWA Properties."_

"_Hello, dear." A woman's voice said, then changed to Barbas's voice. "Thanks so much for coming out." He turned and looked at Phoebe. Barbas passed his hand in front of Phoebe's, face picking up on her fear._

"_I know how you kill." Phoebe said. "But there are no elevators around here."_

"_Elevators? That's what you think your greatest fear is? You mortals need to look deeper, down where the real truth lies. Your greatest fear is losing a sister. I get two for one."_

The hologram ended and Barbas sighed. "Ah, the good old days."

"What the hell was that?" Phoebe asked.

"The Circle of Truth." Gideon said. "It's enchanted. It reads thoughts and shows what needs to be seen. You must be careful."

"Maybe you better just sit down." Paige said.

"If I may, it is not my past evils that's in question here." Barbas said. "What is in question here is these three witches' and the Slayer's so-called right to be continually cleaning up after their own magical messes."

"We have to get out of here." Phoebe said. "We have to figure out how this happened."

"You can't." Gideon said. "If you leave, Lieutenant Morris dies."

"Does it really matter if we were set up?" Buffy asked. "The point is, we were exposed."

"But if we can prove he orchestrated the exposure, it might." Leo said.

"Go find out what you can. Hurry." Leo orbed out.

"Was I boring him?" Barbas asked.

"With all due respect, if it truly is our case to present, may I?" Gideon asked. Barbas swept his hand grandly out in front of him for Gideon to proceed. "To better put this particular situation into its proper context, it bears reminding your honors of the long history, the long, successful history The Charmed Ones and the Slayer have of shielding their magical tracks. If I may show you some examples…." He waved his hand over the Circle and a hologram of Buffy appeared. She was standing in front of Angel with her sword raised and Acathla in the background.

_Angel's eyes glowed bright red for an instant and went back to their soulful darkness. He looked up at her, but quickly collapsed to the floor, crying. _

_Buffy stared down at him, but still held her sword raised behind her. Angel raised himself back up, his eyes heavy with tears. "Buffy? What's going on?" She just looked at him, confused. He looked around a bit and got to his feet. "Where are we? I…. I don't remember." _

_Buffy lowered her sword. "Angel?"_

"_You're hurt." She looked down at her wound as he gently touched her arm. He brought her to him and embraced her tightly. "Oh, Buffy…. God. I…. I feel like I haven't seen you in months." Buffy closed her eyes and breathed out a deep sigh. "Oh, my God, everything's so muddled. I…." He sighed deeply and kissed her on the shoulder. "Oh, Buffy…." She cried into his shoulder and hugged him back. _

_Behind him Acathla let out a low rumble. The stone's face contorted and his mouth opened grotesquely as a swirling vortex to Hell opened, small at first, but growing steadily in size and emanating a deep, red glow. Buffy let go of Angel and looked up into his face._

"_What's happening?" He asked._

"_Shh. Don't worry about it." Buffy brushed her fingers over his lips and across his cheek. She laid her hand on his cheek and kissed him softly. He returned the kiss and it became more passionate as the vortex grew wider. Buffy broke off the kiss and looked deeply into Angel's eyes. "I love you."_

"_I love you."_

_She touched his lips with her fingers again. "Close your eyes." She nodded reassuringly and he closed his eyes. She kissed him again gently before stepping back, drawing back her sword, and thrusting it into his chest. _

_His eyes whipped open in surprise and pain, and a bright light emanated from the sword. Buffy stepped away from him as he reached out to her and looked down at the sword thrust completely through him. _

"_Buffy…."_

_Behind him, the power of the sword began to swirl into the vortex. Angel still held out his hand to her as the vortex finally met him. It suddenly closed into Acathla's mouth without so much as a spark, taking him with it._

The hologram died and Gideon shot an apologetic look at Buffy. "You see, the Slayer sent her only love…. Her soulmate…. To hell to save the world from the magic his counterpart, Angelus, had started. She made a sacrifice to protect this world."

Barbas chuckled and Buffy shot a tear stained glare at him. "And just how did Angelus come to be?"

"That has nothing to do with it." Buffy growled.

"It has everything to do with it." Barbas waved his hand and the hologram showed Buffy and Angel laying in bed together. Buffy had a contented smile on her face as she snuggled deeper into Angel's sheets. Angel suddenly shot up in pain and looked around. The hologram switched to outside where Angel dropped to his knees in the rain. A moment later it showed the prostitute coming up to him and Angelus making his first kill in over a hundred years thanks to Buffy and Angel's first night together.

"They knew nothing of the loophole in the curse." Gideon said. "That memory is completely irrelevant."

"We are with Gideon." Aramis said. "The memory is stricken from the record."

"Thank you. The point being, The Charmed Ones and the Slayer have never once failed in their duty to keep the big secret. Witness." Gideon waved his hand over the Circle of Truth and another hologram of the past appeared.

_Paige, Phoebe, and Piper stood with Darryl in Cole's apartment. "I made an appointment for you at Missing Persons today." Darryl said._

"_Wait." Paige said. "You want Phoebe to report Cole as missing?"_

"_She has to. Otherwise, somebody else will, and she'll become the prime suspect in his disappearance."_

"_So you want me to pack up his stuff so it looks like he left me?" Phoebe asked._

"_That's right. We cannot give the police any reason to suspect foul play. I mean, technically, you three did kill him."_

"_Let the object of objection become but a dream as I cause the scene to be unseen." Paige said. Immediately, the vanquishing scorch marks on the floor vanished. The other damaged items in the apartment suddenly repaired themselves. In no time, the apartment was perfect again._

Gideon stepped back out onto the platform. "As you've just seen, the Lieutenant, whom the Cleaners would have die to cover magic, is here instrumental in keeping it protected."

"Could you play that hologram just a tiny bit longer?" Barbas asked. "Humor me."

"Do it." Crill said.

The hologram picked up where it left off.

_Paige took a step toward Phoebe and put her arm around her shoulders in comfort. "I just wish I could make the rest of your pain go away that easily."_

"_So do I. You murdering witch!" Phoebe hit Paige square in the face, sending her backward._

Barbas smiled in amusement and Phoebe got to her feet. "That's not fair. I was under the influence of evil."

"Yes, you were, but then, it seems like you girls so often are under the influence of one thing or another." Barbas waved his hand and another hologram appeared in the Circle of Truth.

_Inspector Miles talked with Phoebe. "Your husband fits the classic profile of a deadbeat dad." He took a seat. While his attention was else where, a flame appeared in the center of Phoebe's hand. _

_Leo noticed and whispered to her, "Make it go out."_

"_I can't make it go out." Phoebe looked around the room trying to find anything to extinguish the fire. Finally, she noticed the trash can on the side and threw the flame into the trash can._

_Darryl whirled around and saw it. "Phoebe? I mean…. fire!"_

Barbas smiled with glee. "Wait. You're gonna love this one."

Another hologram started.

_Piper opened the front door and the wedding planners, Marie and Craig, were on the front porch. They walked into the house with Marie saying, "So glad you're home. We have some new floral sketches we'd like you to see."_

"_Now's not really a good time." Leo said._

"_They're welcome to come in, Leo." Piper said._

"_I've revisited the dinner menu, Piper, and you are going to be thrilled." Craig said. "I have some dynamic choices…."_

"_I want pigs in blankets."_

_Marie laughed, thinking it was a joke. "It's nice to see a bride who still has a sense of humor this close to the big day."_

"_No, I want pigs in blankets." Piper waved her hands and changed Craig, morphing him into a pig. Maire saw the pig and screamed._

Gideon surged to his feet. "I frankly don't see the relevance of any of this. It's wholly beside the point."

"No, no, no. That is precisely the point." Barbas said. "The Charmed Ones and the Slayer are so influenced by outside forces, how can we ever expect to continue to trust them to clean up after themselves?"

"We cleaned up after each and every one of those situations." Phoebe said.

"But how close you came to not."

"Continue, Gideon." Aramis said.

Phoebe leaned toward Buffy and whispered, "Where is Leo?"

Another hologram started.

"_Piper, what did you do with the house?" Paige asked as Piper rushed up the front steps looking for the house that wasn't there._

"_Oh, my god. What have I done?" Piper said._

"_The spell, Piper. You need to reverse it fast." Leo said._

"_I'm not sure I can."_

"_Well, then, you'd better make us disappear, because this one's gonna be tough to explain." Paige said._

"_You can do it, Piper. Come on." Leo encouraged._

"_Let the object of objection return so that its existence may be…. reaffirmed." Piper said. All around them, from the ground up, the house reappeared. Walls, floor, ceiling, furniture…. Everything. The three of them were now inside the house._

"_Nicely done." Paige said._

"So then, despite what Barbas would have you believe, regardless of outside influences, the sisters have always managed to protect magic, and therefore, based upon all the evidence, we ask the tribunal, no, we demand that the cleaners be forced to reverse what they have done, that Lieutenant Morris be freed, and that The Charmed Ones and the Slayer be allowed to do what they have always done so well: cover their own tracks. Respectfully." Finished, Gideon returned to his seat at the defense table.

Barbas applauded, loudly and mockingly. "Bravo!" He stood up and walked around the table. "Really very compelling stuff, counselor. In fact, I think that you've just successfully argued my case."

"Now what's he up to?" Buffy asked.

"Now obviously, this whole thing has now become much, much bigger than just a simple case of whether the good lieutenant bites the dust, because as we've just seen, the recklessness displayed by these three witches has now become of epidemic proportion."

"Objection!" Gideon said. "May I remind my counterpart that this is simply a question of simply whether or not the situation should be reversed. It is not an indictment on The Charmed Ones or the Slayer."

"Maybe it should be."

"This is what he's up to." Phoebe answered Buffy.

Barbas walked back to the Circle of Truth and dramatically waved his arms to call up the next hologram. "Voila!"

_Edward Miller was hanging upside down against a brick wall screaming, "They don't have to move! They can stay for a year! Ten years!"_

_Phoebe, dressed in her superhero costume from when a kid had drawn them and used his powers to turn the drawing to real life, was dangling Edward by his ankles off the side of his own apartment building rooftop. "What about the cockroaches?" She asked. "Are you gonna do something about the cockroaches?"_

"_First thing tomorrow. Just please don't drop me. Please!"_

_Cole appeared on the rooftop behind Phoebe. "Uh, Phoebe?"_

_Phoebe turned around. Distracted, she let go of Edward's right ankle. "Cole! What are you doing here?"_

_Amused, Cole took a couple of steps up the side of the rooftop edge while he explained. "Well, I got a call from one of the tenants saying that Wonder Woman was terrorizing the landlord. What the hell are you doing?"_

"_Well, I'm teaching my buddy here how important it is to be a better person."_

"_I don't know what's going on here, but this is not you…. literally."_

"_Are you kidding? This is better than me. This is new and improved me. Now not only can I help my readers, but I can help the entire city."_

"_Careful. He's got ears."_

"_Oh, please. Relax. The only thing he can hear right now is the blood rushing to his brain." Phoebe pulled Edward up and tossed him onto the roof where he fell and rolled. He scrambled to his feet. "Ok, Cole, I gotta go, because I've got a lot of loyal readers that need my help. Ok?"_

"_Ok."_

_She patted Cole on his chest and took a running super-leap onto the roof of the next building and onto the roof of the next building where she ran out of sight, her cries of excitement echoing behind her._

"And last, but by no means least, where were The Charmed Ones to clean up this mess?" Barbas waved his arm again and yet another hologram started up.

_Cole nursed his drink at the bar when two thugs walked in with automatic weapons and proceeded to rob the patrons. Cole stared aimlessly at his bottle completely ignoring the ruckus behind him._

"_All your money! Hurry up! Watches, wallets, huh?"_

_The bartender reached around the bar and aimed to shoot the men, but the first thug saw him and fired first, hitting the bartender in the chest. He fell back and slumped against the wall. Cole watched all of this without batting an eye. He put his empty glass down on the counter and reached for the bottle for a refill._

"_Come on. Nothing's changed. Give me the money. Hurry up!"_

_Gunfire erupted, but Cole continued to sit at the bar. Being who he was, he really didn't care about what was happening around him. All he cared about at the moment was his drink. The first thug fired his weapon in an arc around the bar, shattering glass, bottles, and breaking everything. The bullets shattered Cole's drinking glass. He looked down at this wound and at his broken glass._

_The wound healed quickly and he stared at his broken glass. Cole put his glass down and slowly stood up. He looked over at the two thugs and swung his arm. The first guy was thrown against the back wall. He swung his arm again and the second guy was thrown against the side wall. The first guy regained consciousness first. He lifted his head and saw his gun. He reached for it and Cole powered up and threw a fireball at him, turning him into dust._

Phoebe got to her feet. "That is absurd. That was Cole. We weren't responsible for that. We weren't even there."

"Ah, but you were there, Phoebe. It was your cold rejection of his love that drove him to that reckless despair. So I say that you were responsible. Hexes, possession, evil influences, affairs of the heart."

He waved his arm again and another hologram appeared.

_A pair of doors opened and the Judge, Angelus, and Drusilla walked in, flanked by their troops. They closed the doors behind them as a man was coming up the stairs. The Judge reached out with his hand and an arc of energy emanated from it to the man. The man froze, a look of surprise on his face, and he quickly began to combust, disappearing in a puff of flame and smoke._

"_Lock the exits, boys." Angelus said. He looked at the Judge. "It's all yours."_

_The Judge took a couple of steps down as a customer squeezed by Angelus and headed down the stairs, branching to the left. A young couple came up on the right. The Judge extended his arms and his energy arced out to and through them. The Judge's energy then arced through everyone in the area. They all froze where they stood._

_Drusilla bounced with glee. "Oh, goody!"_

_Suddenly a crossbow bolt hit the Judge in the chest and broke his concentration. The arcs of energy disappeared and the people all stood around, dazed. The Judge grabbed at the bolt and pulled it from his chest. "Who dares?"_

_Willow, Oz, Giles, Xander, and Cordelia, stood at the refreshment stand with Buffy standing on top of a drink cooler, holding the crossbow. "Think I got his attention." Buffy said._

"_You're a fool. No weapon forged can stop me."_

"_That was then." Xander handed Buffy the weapon from the box and she raised the anti-tank rocket launcher to her shoulder. "This is now." Buffy powered it on, set her sights, and opened the trigger guard. Angelus and Drusilla began to run as Buffy took aim. The Judge just looked at her. _

"_What's that do?"_

_Buffy pulled the trigger and the rocket flew straight into the Judge's chest as Angelus and Drusilla flew over the railing. The Judge disappeared in an explosion of flame and smoke. The people in the mall screamed and started to panic and run as bits of charred Judge fell all around them._

"And again! The Slayer put innocent lives in danger and exposed herself and demonkind in one fell swoop. I say we're lucky that all magic has not been exposed beyond repair long before now. If we want to protect all that we are, all that this tribunal stands for, then I say we should not be just deciding the fate of some poor, pathetic mortal. No, we should be deciding the fate of these four and whether they should ever be permitted to practice magic or slay another vampire or demon again."

After a long, heart-pounding moment, one by one the members of the Tribunal nodded their heads in agreement.

"So be it." Aramis said.


	43. Chapter 43

Chapter 43

Gideon conferred with Paige, Buffy, and Phoebe at their table. "Are you sure about this?" He asked.

"Yeah." Paige said. "If they're gonna put us on trial, too, it might be the only way to save Darryl. We have to stand on our record."

"If all the good we've done in the last six years isn't good enough, then nothing is." Phoebe said.

"Speak for yourself." Buffy said. "I've been at this nine years now. If _that's_ not good enough, I can guarantee that nothing is." Phoebe and Paige nodded their agreement.

"Very well." Gideon turned to Barbas. "Your witness."

Barbas stood up and moved around the table to take the floor. "Now, let's see. So many holograms…. So little time."

"Barbas." Thrask warned.

"Oh, well. I guess I should ask one of the cleaners a few quick questions."

"As you wish." Crill said.

A cleaner appeared on the witness chair. Barbas approached him. "You have been assigned to watch The Charmed Ones since they first became witches, have you not?"

"That is correct." The cleaner said.

"Would Lieutenant Morris be the first policeman to die in order to clean up one of their little magical messes."

"No."

Another hologram appeared.

_Piper and Phoebe were standing in the foyer looking at the damage in the living room. "You ok?" Piper asked._

"_Yeah." Phoebe said. She gasped when she spotted Andy Trudeau laying on the floor. They rushed over to him._

"_Oh, my god. He's dead." Piper said._

"Truly tragic." Barbas said. "That was their sister Prue's first true love. I wonder whatever happened to her."

Buffy growled and surged to her feet, but Gideon put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "Don't! It's not worth it."

"Anyone else?" Barbas asked the cleaner.

"Yes." The cleaner replied. "Inspector Reece. We had to keep a close watch on him."

Barbas nodded and turned to the Circle of Truth. He waved his hand and another hologram appeared.

_Inspector Reece Davidson stood on the porch of the Halliwell Manor. Phoebe stood in the doorway. "Inspector. How can I help you?" She said._

"_You can tell me where to find Cole Turner. I know he's alive, and I know he's in town." Reece said._

"_Really."_

"_Yeah, really. Want to know how? Because his former landlady was found brutally murdered at his address."_

"_Oh, my god. That's awful."_

"_Awful like you can't imagine."_

"_I know what you're thinking. And I know what this looks like. And I am…. I am so sorry for what happened to…."_

"_You're sorry? Her eyes were frozen open in terror. Her skull was punctured in two places. By the time the police got there, most of her brain had spilled out onto the floor. Be sick, be horrified, but don't stand there lying to me and say you're sorry. I'm gonna find him, Miss Halliwell, and then I'm gonna bust his ass. And then I'm gonna bust yours."_

"And did he find him?" Barbas asked.

"No…. he did not." The cleaner said.

Another hologram started up.

_A seeker came up behind Inspector Reece in the church and bit him on the neck. Reece cried out in pain and fell to the floor. Phoebe and Piper stood on the other side of the locked gate, pounding on the bars._

"_Open the gate!" Piper cried._

"We were lucky one of those demons came along and tied up that loose end, aren't we?" Barbas said. "It's a rhetorical question. Never mind."

"There was another. An FBI agent." The cleaner said.

"That's right."

_Agent Jackman threw a thick folder on the dining room table and slid it across toward Paige, Piper, Phoebe, and Buffy. "In case you're wondering, that's just a copy." He said._

_They flipped through various surveillance photos of them. "Nice way to engender trust, Agent Jackman." Buffy said._

"_If I wanted to expose you, I could've done that six months ago when that file first crossed my desk."_

"_Expose us as what?" Paige asked._

"_Witches. It's the only logical explanation for all the unsolved cases, the missing persons, the mysterious deaths."_

"That is out of context." Paige said. "He was a witch hunter. He tried to kill us."

"The only context I'm interested in is what happened to yet another officer of the law. Witness." Barbas waved his hand and another hologram appeared in the Circle of Truth.

_Jackman fired his gun at Phoebe and everything slowed down. The bullet passed Cole on its way toward Phoebe. Cole raised his hand, manipulating both time and motion. He switched Phoebe and Jackman's positions. Time resumed and the bullet hit Jackman square in the chest. He grunted on impact and dropped his gun._

"Oh, and we can't forget the Slayer, now can we? She's had plenty of run-ins with the law."

A hologram appeared showing Buffy being led out of the library.

"_Please. You don't understand." Buffy said._

"_You'd do well to keep your mouth shut, missy." The officer said. They turned down the hall and saw Principal Snyder coming down followed by two more officers._

"_But I didn't do anything." Buffy argued._

"_Why do I find that so very hard to believe?" Snyder said._

"_In there." The officer said to the other officers before turning to Snyder. "You know this girl?"_

"_Buffy Summers. If there's trouble, she's behind it."_

"_You stupid little troll. You have no idea!" Buffy said._

"_Attitude problem. Serious."_

_Buffy turned to look at the officer. "Look, I just wanna know if my friends are ok."_

"_All right, that's enough." He spun her back around and got out his handcuffs. "You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and…."_

_Buffy glanced over her shoulder and without warning backhanded the officer in the face. He grunted in pain and stumbled backward into the lockers. She grabbed him by the neck and pushed his head down, flipping him over onto his back. Snyder took a shocked step back. He was too stunned by what he just saw her do to move and just let her run down the hall without even looking. _

_A second officer came out of the library and saw her partner on the floor and Buffy running away. She raised her gun and took aim at Buffy. "Stop! Get down!"_

_Buffy looked back and turned down an adjacent hall as the officer took a shot. The bullet shattered the window of the hall door. The other two officers came out of the library, guns drawn and ready, and she waved them in Buffy's direction._

"She was wanted for murder and she resisted arrest. That poor officer had a broken nose and a dislocated disc in his neck and all he did was try to do his job. But wait, it gets better." Barbas waved his hand and another hologram came on.

_Buffy and Faith were sitting in the back seat of a police car with their hands cuffed behind their backs. A heavy steel mesh separated them from the officers in the front seat. They'd just been arrested after being caught stealing weapons. "That's some artillery you two were puttin' together." The driver said. "You with one of them girl gangs?"_

"_Yeah. We're the Slayers." Faith said. As the officer laughed, Faith leaned over to Buffy. "You wanna get outta here?" She slouched down in the seat and Buffy realized what she intended to do. "We can't save the world in jail."_

_Buffy slowly slouched down also. Faith raised her legs and Buffy followed her lead. Faith counted to three and they both push-kicked hard into the steel mesh, making it buckle and tear at the edges and hit the officers in the backs of their heads. The driver lost control of the car and it swerved to the left, tires squealing, and smashed into a parked car. _

_The damage wasn't terribly serious, but the police car's radiator had burst and the steam rose thickly, obscuring the view. Both officers were unconscious as Buffy climbed out of the front passenger-side door. A moment later Faith came out as well with one of the officer's keys. They turned back-to-back and fumbled with the keys, trying to unlock the cuffs._

"And the very next night…."

_Buffy and Faith raced down the alley at a brisk pace. At the end of the building, an arm reached out and grabbed Buffy by the shoulder. Instantly she grabbed the man and threw him against a dumpster. Faith jumped right in to stake him. He slumped down to the ground, hurt by the impact against the heavy steel container. It was Allan, the deputy mayor of Sunnydale, but Faith was too caught up in things and didn't realize he was human._

_Faith swung down with her stake and plunged it into Allan's heart, then pulled it out. Allan grabbed his chest in pain and surprise as Blood poured out freely, pumped out by his now punctured, beating heart._

"Seems like that stream of unsolved deaths left in The Charmed Ones' and the Slayer's wake keeps right on growing. So I guess the obvious question is how many more inspectors must die before it comes to an end?"

"Another rhetorical question?" Gideon asked.

"Actually, no. In fact, that is what I think becomes the salient question because the deaths could end with Lieutenant Morris. That's what I think. What do you think?"

"Objection. Why should we care what he thinks?" Phoebe said.

"Phoebe." Gideon warned.

"I care." Crill said.

"Of course you care. You're a demon." Phoebe said.

"I care, too." Adair said.

"Oh. Well, then never mind."

"I think…. there will always be another Inspector Sheridan to pick up on their trail." The cleaner said.

"Wait a minute." Paige said.

Barbas didn't hear her. "Unless…."

'Unless it ends with Morris." The cleaner said.

"What?" Buffy asked Paige.

"No further questions, rhetorical or otherwise." With a wave of his hand, Barbas made the cleaner disappear. He headed back to his table, but paused. "Oh, sorry. Did you have more questions of him?"

"Yes, as a matter of fact…." Gideon started.

"No." Paige said. "We're fine. Carry on."

"Paige, what are you doing?"

"Unfortunately for us, ending the stream of deaths with Morris only solves our problem of the past. It does absolutely nothing to protect us against our future problems." Barbas said. "So how much longer can we afford to tempt the gods of fate with the recklessness of The Charmed Ones and the Slayer, and at what point does that day finally come when it's just simply too late to clean up after one of their little magical messes? And then all of magic is exposed to the world forever because of them, and that is the question you're going to have to answer because I rest my case."

"Gideon." Aramis said.

"Nothing further." Gideon said as Barbas took his seat.

"We will return with the verdict." Crill said. And with that, the tribunal vanished.

"Ok, this better be good." Buffy said.

Paige looked around. "Leo." Leo and Chris both orbed in. "Hey, you guys are speaking now."

"Uh, let's not make a big deal about it, ok?" Chris said.

"Fine. What'd you find out?"

"Ok, you know that phantasm you vanquished?" Leo asked. "Apparently Barbas sent it so you'd follow it."

"And apparently he gets a get out of hell free card if he wins the case." Chris said.

"I knew this was a setup." Phoebe said.

"But we can't prove it," Leo said. "So we've been trying to find another phantasm, but we can't find…."

"If it's anywhere, it has to be inside Inspector Sheridan." Paige said. "It's the only way Barbas knew she'd be in the right place at the right time."

Buffy waved Leo and Chris away. "Go get her. Bring her back here. Hurry." Leo and Chris orbed out.

A minute later, Piper appeared in the Tribunal Hall standing behind the defense's table. "How did I get here?" She asked.

"Piper! What are you doing here?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know."

"Why don't you go back?" Paige suggested. "Go."

"She can't." Thrask said as the Tribunal reappeared. "We have brought her to hear the judgment."

"Since it impacts all of you." Adair said.

"This doesn't look good." Phoebe said.

"Where the hell is Leo?" Paige said.

"As to whether or not The Charmed Ones shall be allowed to continue to practice magic and the Slayer to be allowed to continue in her duties as the Slayer, the judgment is…. In favor of the sisters and their cousin." Aramis said.

"But against the Lieutenant." Crill said. "The trail of exposure must end with him."

"You have got to be kidding me, right?" Buffy asked. "I mean, you can't really be doing this."

"Buffy, they have already." Gideon said.

Buffy couldn't take it anymore. She stepped away from Gideon and walked around the table. "Look, he doesn't care about protecting magic." She gestured at Barbas. "All he cares about is himself and getting out of purgatory. Not only did he set us up, but he set you up, too."

"Always trying to blame somebody else, aren't you?" Barbas said.

"You son of a…." Buffy stepped towards Barbas, raising her fist, but Gideon pulled her back.

"Listen to me." Gideon said. "You have to stop this. Do you understand? They haven't taken away your powers yet, but they still can."

"Then let them." Paige said. "If this is the thanks that we get for all of our good work, if this is the way the system works, then you can keep our stupid powers."

"Paige!"

Piper stepped up to join them in full support of the idea. "No, she's right. If Darryl dies, that's it. We're done. We quit."

"You know, that would solve any of our future exposure issues, now, wouldn't it?" Barbas gloated.

"You'd have us erase your memories?" Aramis said. "Change all that you know?"

"All that you are?" Adair added.

"If necessary." Phoebe said.

"Just let me kill this guy as my last duty as Slayer." Buffy said, glaring at Barbas.

"Very well." Aramis said.

Leo and Chris orbed in with Inspector Seridan struggling between them. "Get off of me!" She cried, freeing herself from their grip. "What is this? Wh-where am I?"

"That's a nice act. It's very convincing." Chris said.

"Objection!" Barbas cried. "He cannot bring a mortal down here. It is outrageous."

"Sit down and shut up." Buffy said. Barbas automatically started to sit down, then paused as he realized who it was that gave the order. He stood back up and put his hands behind his back.

"What is the meaning of this?" Crill asked.

"Watch." Chris pushed Sherican down toward the Circle of Truth. She fell forward close enough to activate the hologram.

_Inspector Sheridan sat at her desk working. The bullpen was empty except for her. Suddenly, she heard the wail of the phantasm as it rose out from the floor behind her. She put her pen down on her desk and turned around. The Phantasm then possessed the inspector._

_She sighed, got up, and walked over to the filing cabinet. She opened the drawer and took out a thick file labeled: DARRYL MORRIS._

The phantasm in Sheridan turned to look at Barbas. "What now?"

"Oh, surrounded by idiots." Barbas sat down.

Leo threw the potion and hit Sheridan. The phantasm inside her rose up and left her body. It rose up to the black void and Chris took out the crystal tipped wand and held it up pointed at the phantasm. It wailed and screamed as it was sucked into the wand's crystal tip.

"Huh. Guess there's some cleanin' up to do there." Piper said as Sheridan fainted.

"What do you have to say for yourself, Barbas?" Aramis said.

Barbas shrugged. "I'm a demon. What do you expect?"

"Based on the evidence, I beg you to reverse the decision before it's too late." Gideon said.

"It is done." Aramis said.

"And as for you, Barbas…." Adair said.

"Oh, no." Barbas got to his feet. "Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait. Just because I'm the one that set this whole thing up does not necessarily mean that I am not right. The Charmed Ones are reckless with magic."

"Oh, please." Paige said.

"You've seen, I've seen, we've all seen it time after time, and it doesn't even include what got them into this whole mess in the first place."

"Uh…. I think that would be you." Phoebe said.

"Ah, Phoebe, that would be you, with your ongoing zeal to force your premonitions, to short-circuit the process, take the easy way, and for what? Each and every time, it was for personal gain. I don't know, but it just seems to me like selfish behavior like that, there's got to be some consequences, or, well…. what's the point?"

"Phoebe will be stripped of her powers." Crill said.

"What?" Phoebe cried.

"Just your active powers." Adair said. "Empathy, premonitions…."

"Levitation." Thrask added.

"You can earn them back, but only if you're more careful with your powers."

"If you're all more careful." Aramis said. And with that the tribunal members vanished from the black void.

"You can't just say that and leave." Paige called.

"Gideon, get them back here now." Piper said.

"No." Phoebe said. "It's ok. I mean, it might be kind of refreshing to not rely on my powers so much anymore, you know? Besides, they're not the only ones that think I've been misusing them."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Let's get out of here." With a final look at Barbas, Paige orbed them all out of the Tribunal Hall.


	44. Chapter 44

Chapter 44

Buffy walked around Piper's room at Magic School with Alex on her hip. She was bouncing and cooing at her, making her daughter laugh. Piper sat on the bed watching her cousin. Since becoming a mother, Buffy and Piper's bond had seemed to grow and strengthen. They'd found more and more things in common as the days passed. And Wyatt loved playing with Alex. They were nearly inseparable now.

Chris orbed in and smiled at Alex. "Hey kid."

"What's up, Chris?" Buffy asked.

"Phoebe and Paige are here. They said something about a family meeting. Angel's in there too."

"Oh." Buffy looked at Piper.

Chris got the hint and went over to help Piper to her feet. The four of them headed to the Great Hall. Paige, Angel, and Phoebe were already there sitting at the table in the center of the room. "Sorry we're late." Piper said. "I'm not moving real fast these days." She looked at Chris. "Are you sure you don't wanna be born any time soon already?"

He helped her sit down. "Don't be in such a hurry."

"There's daddy's girl." Angel gushed as he took Alex from Buffy.

"Ok, I hate to rush things, but what do you say we get this family meeting started, huh?" Phoebe said.

"You know, you could cut back on those triple lattes a little bit." Buffy said. "Where's Leo?"

Behind the main table, Gideon looked up from the book he was reading. "He's on the witch-killer path, which you all should be focusing on as well."

"We actually have bigger things to deal with, Gideon." Phoebe said. "Like trying to figure out who's after Wyatt. And I think I might have an angle on that."

"You found the demon?" Paige asked.

"It may not be a demon. Look, we've relied on magic all this time, and it's gotten us nowhere. And since I can't rely on my premonitions to help, I've had to resort to statistics."

"Statistics?" Piper asked.

"Yes. Did you know that fifty percent of violent crimes are perpetrated by someone the victim knew? So, don't you see? Whoever turns Wyatt evil might actually be someone we know or even care about."

"A mortal? Impossible." Gideon said.

"Really? Because the crime reporter at the newspaper said that it's usually someone you least expect."

"All right, now you're making me nervous." Piper said.

Gideon shut his book and stepped around the table toward them. "Phoebe…. this theory might make some sense in the lives of normal people, but you aren't normal people. There's an entire underworld of demons out there who want you dead, and today is no exception, which brings me back to the witch-killer."

"Hold up." Chris got to his feet and took a couple of steps toward Gideon. "Phoebe's onto something here. I mean, we've practically overturned every demonic stone, right? I mean, at least this is something new."

"I don't believe this. Someone is killing witches, possibly as we speak. How is that not your only priority?"

"Because we're running out of time, that's why."

"What do you mean? Why?" Piper asked.

"I should've told you sooner."

"Told us what?" Angel asked.

"What happens to Wyatt happens before I'm born."

"What?" Buffy said. "You're just telling us this now?"

"I thought I'd given myself enough time. I'm so sorry."

"Then how do we know that this witch-killer isn't the one that's after Wyatt?" Gideon asked. "Given this new information, it seems to time out properly."

"Ok, it's time to divide and conquer." Phoebe said. "Paige and Chris, you and Buffy and Angel help Leo with the witch-killer. I'm gonna go chase my theory. Piper, don't worry. We're gonna find this guy. I promise."

Paige held a crystal in her hand and slammed it down over the magical net. Immediately, the device was activated. The demon inside, spread-eagled on the carpet floor and caught in the magical net, cried out in pain. Paige pulled the crystal off the net and it stopped.

"What did I ever do to you?" The demon said.

"You're sure he's a demon, right?" Chris asked. He was standing with Angel across the room. Buffy was downstairs changing Alex.

"Does that give you the right to commit unprovoked acts of violence against me?" The demon retorted.

Paige slammed the crystal in her hand on the magical net again, activating it once more. "Tell us everything you know about the witches that were murdered."

"I don't know anything. I swear." Again, Paige activated the crystal net. "Oh…. Oh, the…. the witches. Well, the one last night, she…. She put on a great show. She shot fire from her hands, and…. And…. And she put up a great fight."

Disgusted by the response, Paige picked up the vanquishing potion from the floor next to her and threw it at the demon. The demon dust rose up into the air and vanished just as Buffy walked back in.

"Why did you just do that?" Chris asked. "He was just starting to talk."

"He was lying." Paige said. "A: there was no witch murdered last night; and B…."

Leo orbed into the attic. "Another witch was killed last night."

"You were saying?" Chris said.

"Ok, that's just a coincidence. There's no way he could've been there to see that." Paige said.

"Did she have power to shoot fire out of her hands?" Angel asked Leo.

"Yeah. How did you know?" Leo asked.

"More to the point, how did he know?" Chris asked.

"Huh?"

"Maybe he was working for an upper-level demon."

"Oh, right, we just happened to trap the apprentice to the exact demon we're trying to catch and know nothing about." Paige said as she and Chris started picking up the crystals off the floor.

"What are we talking about?" Leo asked.

"Oh, the fact that Paige just vanquished our lucky break." Chris handed the crystals to Paige.

"You don't know that." Paige retorted.

"What do we know?" Leo asked.

"Well, we know that one demon can't possibly be doing all of these killings." Buffy said. "Someone is getting demons to join forces."

"So, you think somebody is trying to organize the underworld?"

"Seems like it."

"And, unfortunately, I seem to be the only person that is concerned about the fact that Phoebe is out there roaming around in the world without any powers." Paige added.

"Without her active powers. She can still cast spells." Chris said.

"Right. So when the demon attacks her, let's hope that Phoebe can come up with a little rhyme just in time. No, no, no. I'm gonna go bring her some potions."

"Well, what should we do?"

"Pray that she doesn't get attacked." Chris nodded as Paige turned to leave the attic with the potion vials in her hands.

"I'm going to get her a massage for Christmas." Buffy said. "She's very uptight."

"Where's Alex?" Angel asked.

"Asleep." Buffy held up the baby monitor. "And I didn't want her up here while Paige was torturing a demon. She's still a little young for that. Maybe when she's older."

"Maybe not at all." Chris said.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Angel asked.

"Nothing." Chris grabbed the Book of Shadows.

"What are you doing?" Leo asked.

"Research." Chris walked out of the attic and headed downstairs.

Leo, Buffy, and Angel followed Chris to the living room. He sat on the couch and began flipping through the Book. "So what is it we're looking for?" Leo asked.

"Uh, any demon that could be powerful enough to be organizing the underworld, or any demon who might be running some sort of training camp for younger demons, or any demon who could be…."

"So basically 'any demon'." Angel said.

Chris stopped and sighed. "Yeah." He flipped through a couple more pages in the Book, then finally leaned back, tired and frustrated. "This sucks, you know that? We're running out of time here, and we've got nothing…. Repeat, nothing, to go on."

"We've faced worse." Buffy said.

"What's worse than not knowing? For over a year now, I've been looking, and you didn't know this deadline was looming. But I did. I knew every single day. That's why I was never able to relax."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Leo asked.

"Because I didn't wanna get you involved. I was trying to protect you."

"Chris…. We're your parents. We're supposed to protect you, not the other way around."

Paige orbed into the room carrying a small purchase bag. "Hey. I got a new scrying crystal. Amethyst. I thought we could use the extra power boost." She walked over to the table with the map on it.

"What exactly are we scrying for?" Leo asked.

"Witches under attack. I don't want any more of them getting killed, and that includes my sister, who is now determined to stay at the office, ever since your son dropped his little bomb this morning."

"I already said I was sorry." Chris said.

"And he shouldn't have to say it again." Leo added.

"All right, Dad." Paige said.

Gideon orbed into the house. "Gideon, what are you doing here?" Leo asked. "Is Piper ok?"

"Hardly." Gideon said. "Thanks to Phoebe's ludicrous new theory, everybody's now a suspect in her mind. She's terrorizing the entire school."

"So you want me to talk to her?"

"I'd be eternally grateful." Leo orbed out and Gideon turned to see Paige scrying with her new crystal. "What are you scrying for?"

"Witches under attack." Paige said as Chris went over to the map. The crystal landed on a spot on the map. "Ooh…. Got one. In the mission."

"You should all go. Hurry."

"I can't." Angel said. "It's a little bit sunny outside."

"Take care of Alex." Paige said.

"Sorry, sweetie." Buffy said, kissing Angel lightly. "We'll be back soon."

"Be careful." Angel said.

Buffy, Paige, and Chris orbed out. They orbed into an alley where demons were attacking a witch. Paige threw the vanquishing potion at a bald demon, hitting him in the chest. He exploded and another demon shimmered in behind the witch. He grabbed her and ripped her necklace off from around her neck. He threw her aside and she hit the alley floor with a thud. The demon held up the necklace in triumph. "Got it." He cried.

"Damn it!" The second demon said before shimmering out.

Buffy, Chris, and Paige rushed over to the downed witch to help her up. "What the hell just happened?" Chris asked.

"I don't know." Paige said.

"Are you alright?" Buffy asked the witch.

"Wait, who are you?" The witch asked.

"Uh, I'm a Charmed One."

"And I'm the Slayer." Buffy added. "Come on. We'll take you somewhere safe, ok?" She took Chris's hand and they all orbed to the Manor.

"Where are we?" The witch asked.

"It's ok. You're gonna be safe here. What's your name, anyway?"

"I'm Tali. How can I ever thank you guys for saving me?"

"Ok, I don't think you need to, because I don't think we did." Paige said. "I'm not even sure they were after you."

"Yeah, they were after your necklace." Chris said.

Angel walked in carrying Alex in his arms. "That was quick."

Tali gasped and held up a small cross she'd had hidden in her pocket. "Vampire!"

Buffy gently pushed Tali's hand down. "It's ok. He's a good vampire. He has a soul."

"A soul?"

"Yes. A soul. Long story." Buffy took Alex from Angel. "And this is our daughter, Alexis."

"A vampire and a Slayer with a child? It's not possible."

"That's what we said." Angel said.

"But everything about us isn't possible." Buffy added. "And by the way, I'm Buffy. That's Angel, Paige, and Chris. So, what's up with that necklace? Why'd those demons want it?"

Tali took a moment to process everything and then looked down, putting a hand to her neck. "Oh, my grandmother's amulet."

"Amulet." Chris repeated. "Is it magical? Does it have any power?"

"No. No, not at all."

"Ohh, this is all very strange." Paige said.

"Stranger than usual." Buffy said. "Chris, would you go get the Book so we can see what those demons were?"

"Sure." Chris orbed out. A moment later he returned sitting on the couch with the book. He started flipping through the pages, rapidly passing pages on collectors and familiars. Paige suddenly gasped and stopped the pages from turning.

"That's him. The Brute Demon." She said.

"Ok." Chris said. "Upper-level demons with overwhelming physical strength. They work alone, generally crushing skulls of their victims."

"Fun." Buffy said. She looked at Tali. "You're lucky he wasn't after you."

"Ok, this isn't making sense." Paige said. "Are you sure that that amulet did not have magical powers?"

"I'm positive. It was just a family heirloom." Tali said.

"Well, do you have anything else of your grandmother's?" Chris asked.

"Her wedding ring. Why?"

"That's a great idea." Paige said. "We can use it to scry for the amulet."

"And find out where the Demon went." Buffy added.

Phoebe walked into the house, obviously in a rush. "Ok, people, heads up. I need your address books, your phone book…. Basically all your books. Hi, I'm Phoebe."

"Hi." Tali said, shaking hands with Phoebe.

"This is Tali." Buffy said. "She was attacked by three Upper-level Demons today."

"Wow, and you lived to tell about it? Congratulations." Phoebe said before turning to the others. "Ok, about those books. I'm kind of in a hurry."

"Phoebe, we actually need your help." Paige said.

"How bad was it?"

"Well, um, they stole my grandmother's amulet." Tali said.

"Really? How powerful was it? Could they use it for, like, mind-control or something?"

"Oh, no, it was just decorative."

"Decorative."

"Yeah, pretty much."

"Hmm…. Saving my nephew or kleptomaniac demons…. I really need those books, guys."

"Phoebs…." Buffy started.

"What? This is important. I'm gonna draw up a police flow chart of everyone in Wyatt's life who can possibly be a suspect, and I don't want to forget anybody."

"Fine. My book is in my bedroom." Paige said.

"Buffy?"

"I don't have a book. But my cell phone's in my room." Buffy said.

"Thank you. What about Angel?"

"Mine's identical to Buffy's address book." Angel said. "My cell phone, I mean. I don't have a book."

Chris sighed. "And mom's is in the kitchen."

"Great." Phoebe said. "I hope you find your amulet. Ok, I'll be at the office if you need me."


	45. Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Leo orbed into the living room and saw Chris and Buffy coming down the stairs. "Hey, how's it goin' here?"

Chris stopped at the table with the scrying map on it. "Paige and Tali went to get her grandmother's ring." He said. "How's mom doin'?"

"She's scared. She's holding up."

"And how are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"About the same. Where's Angel?"

"Oh, I had him take Alex to Magic School. You didn't see him?"

"No. He was probably in the nursery."

Paige and Tali orbed into the room. "Got it." Paige said, heading over to the scrying table.

"So what are you planning to do when you find them?" Tali asked. "I mean, could this be some kind of trap?"

"Honey, it could always be some kind of a trap."

"Which is why you shouldn't go alone." Leo said.

"He's right, Paige. If these are the witch killers…." Buffy said.

The crystal stopped swinging around and hit the map. "I got it." Paige said.

"Why don't you guys both go with her?" Tali said. "I mean, if they wanted to kill me, they would have done it when they had the chance. Right?"

"No, I'm sorry. Can't leave you unprotected."

"I'll stay." Buffy said.

"Me too." Chris said. "I can orb them out if anything happens."

Paige looked at Leo. "Come on." They orbed out.

Buffy sighed and sat down on the couch. "What's wrong, aunt Buffy?" Chris asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Something about all this isn't adding up right."

"What do you mean?"

"I don't know. I get this feeling that the Brute demon isn't the only one targeting witches."

"What makes you think that?"

"I don't know. It's just this feeling."

"Well, I've learned to trust your feelings. They're never wrong. We've got to get going. Is there any place where…."

A darklighter suddenly appeared in the living room. He shot at Chris, but Buffy dove in the way and took the arrow in her left shoulder. She hit the floor, grasping her shoulder. Chris orbed out as the next arrow came at him. Buffy tried to get up before the darklighter could get to Tali, but he stabbed her and grabbed her body up into his arms just as Chris orbed back in. Leo and Paige orbed in and the darklighter looked at them.

"I win. You lose." He orbed out with Tali's body.

Buffy groaned and looked at the arrow in her shoulder. The wound was bleeding pretty bad, soaking the top half of her shirt. She felt a little light headed as she tried to stand up. "Anybody know how this poison reacts to Slayers?"

"Let's not find out." Leo said, helping her up and leading her over to the couch. He examined her shoulder, gently moving her shirt around the wound. "It didn't go all the way through."

"Great."

"But the way you're bleeding, I think it may have…. Hit something."

"Something vital, I'm guessing."

"I need to get this out and heal it."

"No complaints here. Just do it quick before I pass out."

"Count of three?" Buffy braced herself for the pain. "One…." Leo ripped the arrow out in one clean move and Buffy yelped while the rest of the room winced. "Sorry."

"I knew you'd do that."

Chris walked over to Buffy. "I am so sorry. I didn't even see him coming."

"It's not your fault. I jumped in the way." She hissed as Leo started to heal the wound.

"We're being watched." Paige said.

"What?"

"Sons of bitches. Where are the cameras?" Paige looked around the house and Chris and Buffy exchanged confused glances.

"What cameras?" Chris asked.

"There's some kind of live feed going on in the crystals." Leo said.

"Yeah, except for I think they cut it off. I'm not seeing anything." Paige looked at the crystal in her hand, then turned and put it down on the table.

"Well, who?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. I vanquished the Brute Demon before I could ask him. What is this, some kind of game?"

"Actually, it might be." Chris said.

"What are you talking about?" Leo asked.

"Well, I heard something when I was down in the underworld. But I thought it was just a rumor."

"You thought what was a rumor?" Paige asked.

"Well, that there was this demonic game show. Kinda like 'Survivor'. But only for demons."

"And you didn't tell us this why?"

"Because I didn't think it was relevant."

"Ok, that's your theme song of today. Did you notice?"

"Paige." Buffy warned, standing up and swiping at dried blood on her shirt.

"Look, I'm sorry. Well, at least it explains how the demon we trapped today knew that the witch died. He was watching it on TV. Pretty sick."

"Not any sicker than any other reality TV show." Leo said. They all looked at him in shock. He just held his hands out in a weak shrug. "I'm just saying."

"Except this one's about killing witches for entertainment." Chris said.

"We have to get out of here." Buffy said, glancing at the crystal on the table. "They're probably listening to us. I need a shirt first, though."

"Shirt." Paige orbed a shirt from Buffy's room into her hands. "Here."

"I'll make it quick." Buffy walked behind a wall and a minute later came out with the fresh shirt on. "I hope they didn't see much." She tossed the bloody shirt in the trash.

Paige looked around the room and sang, "We're gonna find you" as they walked out of the house.

They had no sooner shut the door when Chris grabbed Buffy's hand and orbed out. They orbed into Phoebe's office behind her where a demon was on the tail end of being vanquished. The darklighter from the house was also in the office.

"Phoebe!" Buffy cried. Phoebe turned and took Chris's free hand.

"You still alive?" The darklighter said to Buffy, raising his crossbow.

"Not a whitelighter, dumbass." Buffy said as they orbed out.

Everyone sat around the table in the Great Hall at Magic School flipping through the books. Phoebe had managed to grab an athame from the demon she'd vanquished and they were searching for it in hopes of finding out what it was used for. Buffy was holding Alex in her lap and Angel could tell she was a little shaken by something. Before he could ask if she was ok, Paige let out a gasp.

"Found it." She placed the real athame over a drawing in the book she'd been looking through. The athame matched perfectly. "A power-sucking athame."

"And?" Piper asked.

"Well, and that's it."

"Wait, it doesn't say anything about what kind of demon uses it or what the 'WW' stands for?" Phoebe asked.

"No."

"Well, that's not a big help." Buffy said.

"Ok, well, we could scry with the athame or the crystal thingie." Phoebe suggested.

"No, I tried." Paige said.

"How about a Return to Sender spell?"

"Tried. Our magic is blocked."

"So then, we've got nothing."

"Yes. We have nothing but a houseful of cameras, and an underworld full of voyeurs." Buffy said.

Piper put a hand to her brow, a small movement showing how worried she was. "Piper, why don't you go relax?" Leo said. "You and Buffy both. We can take it from here."

"No. I'm fine." Piper said.

"Relax where?" Buffy asked. "We're being watched."

"Not here. Not at magic school they're not." Leo said.

"Leo's right." Phoebe said. "You two should go lay down. We've got it under control."

Piper conceded and got to her feet. Leo went to help her, but she brushed his hand away. "You don't touch me. You're the reason I look like this."

Phoebe looked at Buffy. "You should go too. You're a little pale."

"I'm fine." Buffy said. "I want to catch these guys."

"We'll catch them." Paige said. "You should go take care of Alex."

Buffy looked down at her 33 week old daughter sitting happily in her lap. She'd almost left her little girl with no mother and it had scared her. But if Alex was the future of the Slayer line and of magic, then she had to stop these witch hunters before they got to Alex and to Wyatt. Before she could say anything, Gideon walked in carrying an open book.

"I think I might have found something that can help." He said, putting the book down on the table in front of Paige.

"It's the crystal thingie." Paige said.

"It's actually an ancient form of magical voyeurism. The ronyx crystal predates even the crystal ball. Our demon friends must have found a way to put a new spin on an old idea."

"Wait a minute. It's got an incantation to activate it." Phoebe said. She picked up the crystal and read the incantation. "Uh, mallock cormon alli-tas." Immediately, the crystal emitted a projection onto the table. Opening credits were playing and the words "Witch Wars" appeared along with a dagger logo. Music cued as the show returned to the air. The title screen segued into the first still shot of this episode. It was Paige, Buffy, Leo, and Chris in the Sitting Room.

"Welcome back to Witch Wars." A voice said as other still shots of the episode were projected onto the table. "Tonight, on a very special episode, you'll see the ultimate battle. When the Gamemasters themselves take on not just any witches, but the legendary Charmed Ones and as an added bonus, the Slayer. It'll be winner takes all. And we will take all. Their lives, their powers…. and last but not least, their progeny." The projection faded out.

"That's what their show is about…. killing us?" Phoebe asked.

"Then either me, Alex, or Wyatt…." Chris said.

"It has to be Wyatt," Gideon said. "Which means…. oh, yes. This makes perfect sense." He turned and walked over to the side. He waved his hands and the doors to the Great Hall closed.

"What about any of this makes perfect sense?" Paige asked.

"Don't you see? These Gamesmasters are the demons that you've been looking for all along. The ones who are after Wyatt."

"What?" Phoebe asked.

"Think about it. They've been collecting powers, hoping to gain enough to be able to collect yours."

"And then get Wyatt's." Chris said.

"Well, it kinda fits into Phoebe's theory then, right? We don't know who they are. But they know who we are." Paige said.

"I'm gonna kill them." Leo said.

"No, Leo, you're an Elder now. Non-violent, remember?" Gideon said.

"Watch me."

"We're gonna have to find them first." Phoebe picked up the deactivated crystal and looked at it. "Do you think we could trace the signal back to them?"

"No, not without Piper. I think they're too strong already." Paige said.

"No, we don't need Piper." Phoebe picked up the athame. "Because we have this and they're not going to kill us on TV. We're going to kill them."

"What exactly are we lookin' for?" Chris asked as he, Paige, and Buffy walked into the attic.

"Anything that will let us vanquish the gamemasters without the Power of Three." Paige said.

Corr, the gameshow host, shimmered into the attic. "Anybody wanna play a game?" Buffy, Paige, and Chris turned around. Chris shut the Book of Shadows as Buffy picked up a box from the nearby table. She threw it at Corr as she turned to find cover with Paige and Chris. Corr waved his hand and telekinetically threw the box aside. Paige threw the potion vial at Corr, but it harmlessly burst in front of him. Buffy threw another vial and that, too, harmlessly shattered in front of him into wispy tethers of smoke.

"When are they coming back?" Paige asked. Phoebe and Leo had orbed to the studio after they'd traced where the signal had been coming from.

Corr powered up a fireball and threw it at them as they ducked for cover. Chris grabbed Buffy and Paige's wrists and ran across the attic just as Corr powered up another fireball. He threw it as they dove for cover behind the old, dusty sofa. Corr powered up another fireball. "This game's over." He said. He pulled his hand back to throw it when Phoebe shimmered into the attic holding the power-sucking athame.

"I couldn't agree more." She said. In one smooth movement, Phoebe made and threw an energy ball at Corr. It hit him square in the chest and he started burning. She turned and looked at a hidden crystal. "See what happens when you make a play for our babies? Who wants to play next? What's the matter? Scared of me?" She shimmered out.

A few minutes later, Leo orbed into the attic to find Buffy, Chris, and Paige sitting calmly on the couch. "Where's Phoebe?"

"That's a good question." Chris said.

Phoebe shimmered into the attic. The power of the multiple vanquishes coursed through her. She was giddy with excitement and nearly bouncing off the walls. "God, that was great. I wanna kill somebody else. Who can I kill? Chris, find me another demon to kill."

"We've gotta get these powers out of her." Buffy said.

"Definitely." Paige said.

Phoebe looked at Paige. "What? You're the one who wanted me to have a power, remember?"

"Yeah, not a demonic power."

"Well, beggars can't be choosers. Oh, poor little powerless Phoebe. She can't even take care of herself."

"Ok. I'm sorry. I admit it. I was…. I was wrong."

"What did you say? Would you mind repeating that, please?"

"I'm sorry. I was wrong. I clearly underestimated you. You are very powerful."

"That's all I wanted to hear." She turned to look back at Leo as she waved the athame in the air. "Now who wants to stab me?"

"What?" Paige asked.

"It's the only way to get the powers out of her." Leo explained.

"Come on. I dare ya. I double dare ya. I triple dare ya. I super duper dare…."

Buffy groaned and grabbed the athame out of Phoebe's hand. In a never ending movement, she stabbed Phoebe in the gut, making sure to miss anything vital.

"You stabbed her?" Piper asked Buffy.

Paige poured champagne into Chris's glass as Buffy said. "Oh, you would have, too."

"She was pretty obnoxious." Chris agreed.

"Yeah, demonic powers on an empty stomach." Phoebe said. "Not such a good thing."

"No, it was a great thing. You saved Wyatt." Piper said.

"We all did." Phoebe said as Paige put the bottle aside on the table.

"So we're one hundred percent certain these were the demons we were looking for all along?" Buffy asked.

Phoebe raised her glass in a toast. "To our nephew. May he always be safe."

"I can't believe it's finally over." Chris said.

"Believe it. You just saved the future." Leo said, holding Wyatt in his arms as he reached for Alex in Buffy's arms.


	46. Chapter 46

Chapter 46

Chris stood high on a ladder in the Great Hall at Magic School and pulled out a blue book from the upper bookshelf. Paige and Gideon stood hunched over the main table below working on writing a spell. Buffy was playing with Alex in on of the chairs near Chris's ladder. Angel was at the house working on getting everything ready for baby Chris's arrival.

"You know, your time travel section is due for a serious overhaul." Chris said. "I mean…. I can find more information Googling."

"Googling?" Gideon asked.

"Never mind." Chris walked down the step ladder and headed over to the table to check on Paige's progress. "Any luck with that spell yet?"

"You mean since the last two minutes you asked me?" Paige asked.

"Look, I'm just getting a little nervous here, ok? My birthday is in two days, and if I'm not outta here before I'm born…."

"What? Something bad that you don't know about could happen?" Buffy asked.

"I just don't want to take any chances. Besides, I came here and did what I had to do, and that was to save Wyatt. Now it's time for me to go home."

Piper and Leo walked into the Hall. Leo was pushing Piper's hospital suitcase in front of him. "Sooner than you might think." Paige said.

"Oh, no. No, no, no. Not yet. You're early." Chris said.

"Oh, relax." Piper waved him off. "I'm just getting a jump on things. I'm not in labor. I'm sending some stuff back to the house."

"Just don't scare me, ok?"

"What's the matter? Isn't the spell ready?" Leo asked.

Gideon turned around to join the conversation, an open book still in his hand. "I think it's ready. It should work."

"Should work? What do you mean?"

"Well, there are no guarantees with time travel, Leo. You should know that better than anyone. Sorry. There's always a chance that something might go wrong."

"All right. We're not taking any chances."

"We might have to." Chris said. "I'm running out of time here."

"No. I'm not sending you through a one-way portal unless I know where you're gonna land."

"You can never be certain. Unless, of course, you went, too." Gideon said. "And even then…."

"All right. Let's just forget the spell and start to work on that potion again."

"But the spell has a better chance of working. It's the Power of Three." Paige nodded her agreement.

"Yes, but if something goes wrong, he'll have extra potion with him and he can come right back."

"I agree." Piper said. "It sounds safer, so why don't you guys get to work on that? Paige, can you orb these home for me? Just squeeze them into the nursery or something."

"Nursery?" Paige asked.

"You did clean out the nursery, right?"

"Yeah. No. I was working on the spell. I'm sorry."

"Well, you better hurry, or else baby Chris will be sleeping in your room."

"Don't worry." Buffy said. "Angel's working on it." She picked Alex up. "Come on, you. Let's go with aunt Paige and see how everything's going with daddy." Paige orbed Buffy, Alex, and the bags to the Manor.

Angel was just finishing the nursery that Leo had built in Piper's room when Wyatt was born. "Looking good." Paige said.

"Very good." Buffy agreed.

"Thank you." Angel said. He smiled at his daughter. "Hey there, beautiful. Did you have fun with mommy at Magic School?"

"She did." Buffy handed Alex to Angel. "Where's Phoebe?"

"She went out to get some stuff. She should be back soon, though."

Buffy paused and listened to the sounds of the house and outside. "She's back. That stupid Mrs. Noble is giving her trouble again."

"How can you tell?" Paige asked. Buffy just shot her cousin a look. "Never mind."

Phoebe walked into the room. "Oh, look at how cute. I remember when Baby Wyatt used to fit in here." She put her packages down on the floor near the bassinet. "Gosh, I still can't believe we're bringing home a baby."

"You know, he's gonna need a bedroom." Paige said. "With everybody coming home plus one, we're a room short."

"Well, I guess I can sleep on the couch." Phoebe said. "I just really think we need to focus on the baby right now."

"And on getting Chris home." Buffy said. Phoebe looked at her. "Oh, remember him? You know, the nephew? The one you've been avoiding?"

"I am not."

"Ok. So why weren't you helping Gideon and Paige with the spell?"

"Because I was helping Leo trying to find the burdock root. It was very hard to find. It's back-ordered everywhere."

"We're gonna miss him, too, you know."

"It sucks. I mean, I know he's going back to a better future and all. It's just…. we're just getting to know him, you know?"

"I know."

Downstairs, the door bell rang. "I forgot to move my car." Phoebe rushed out.

"I'm going to go take a shower." Paige said. "Maybe it'll work these kinks out of my neck." She walked out too.

Buffy sighed and headed downstairs with Angel and Alex. Phoebe was leading a crying Sheila Morris into the house. "Sheila!"

"It's getting to be a habit, isn't it?" Sheila said. "Me showing up a wreck."

"Here." Phoebe handed her a tissue. "What's wrong?"

"We never fight, that's the thing. At least we never used to, but lately, Darryl's just been so on edge, you know?"

"Any idea why?" Angel asked.

"Actually, I was hoping you guys might know. I went to his work the other day just to say hi, and I saw an arrest warrant on his desk…. for Chris."

"Chris?" Buffy asked.

"Are…. are you sure?" Phoebe asked.

Sheila nodded. "I'm positive. I even asked him about it, if he was gonna make it go away, and that's when he just lost it. He told me to stay out of it and stay away from you girls from now on. Did something happen that I don't know about?"

Phoebe sighed. "A couple of weeks ago, Darryl got really scared when he was trying to cover up for us, and we felt horrible, you know, but obviously, it really affected him."

"Enough not to cover for Chris?"

"He got really scared. Maybe you just need to give him some time."

"Yeah, but that doesn't help you right now, and it doesn't help Chris. Look, I…. I love Darryl, and I…. I know this is eating him up inside, but you girls are like family to us. You don't turn your back on family."

"You're right." Buffy said. "Listen, Phoebe and I will go down and talk to him. We'll get this worked out."

Phoebe and Buffy ran across the parking lot of the police station, trying to catch Darryl on his way into the station. "Darryl." Phoebe called.

"Hey, Darryl." Buffy said.

"Darryl. Stop." They ran in front of him, stopping him on the front walk.

"We just need to talk to you."

"We have nothing to talk about." Darryl said.

"Look, Chris is going home today to his…. future home."

"Yeah, and we were hoping, you know, that you could find it in the goodness of your heart, even though we know that you're mad at us, to, you know, just…. Throw away his file." Phoebe said.

"The one with the little arrest warrant in it."

"Apparently, I haven't made myself clear." Darryl said. "I am done covering for you. Done. Now if you'll excuse me."

Buffy stopped him from moving. "Darryl, think about it. Ok? The cops are gonna come for Chris, and what are they gonna find? They're gonna find a little itsy-bitsy baby."

"And then they're gonna find us, which risks exposure." Phoebe said.

"Well, maybe you should have thought of that before you broke Chris out of jail." Darryl said. "Inspector Sheridan thinks that Chris' breakout was an inside job, which, if I'm not careful, could point back to me. I've got a family to think about, too, you know." He glanced behind him and saw Inspector Sheridan walking toward them. "Great."

She stopped next to Darryl. "Have you seen Chris lately?"

"Chris who?" Buffy asked.

Sheridan looked at Darryl. "When you have a minute." She walked past them and toward the building. Without a word, Darryl followed her in.

Phoebe sighed. "At least Chris isn't gonna have to deal with her in the future."

Paige orbed in next to them and Buffy slapped her arm. "Are you nuts! Someone could've seen you."

"Sorry. And ow. But Piper needs us." Paige grabbed Buffy and Phoebe's hands and orbed them to Magic School. Angel was already there.

"Finally. Where have you two been?" Chris asked Buffy and Phoebe.

"Sorry. We were a little, uh…. held up." Buffy said.

"But we're here now, so let's get this show on the road, you know?" Phoebe said. "The clock's a-tickin'. Tick-tock. Tick-tock."

"Since when are you in such a hurry to say good-bye?" Piper asked.

"Well, since something happened with the thing…. and the thing…. with the thing."

"Huh?" Chris and Angel said.

Buffy sighed. "There's a warrant out for Chris's arrest."

"What?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. We tried to get Darryl to bury it, but he's not really on our side anymore."

"Oh, this is bad." Chris said. "If I leave, and they can't find me, they're gonna come after you."

"It's ok." Phoebe said. "We've been through worse. We'll get through this. We'll figure it out. And if you get back to the future and we're in jail, you just have to bust us out." Phoebe held out her hands and Chris grasped them tightly. "You just go back to that beautiful, peaceful world that you helped create." They hugged each other. "I'm really gonna miss you."

"I'll miss you, too."

"Aw. Here comes the huggin' part." Paige said as Chris stepped forward to hug his aunt.

Buffy smiled. "Come here, kiddo." She hugged Chris tightly. "I'm going to miss you, so much."

"I'm going to miss you, too." Chris said.

"Now, just remember: Whatever happened before hasn't happened now. So don't let your past ruin your new future. Ok?" Chris smiled and nodded. "I love you, Chris."

"I love you, too, aunt Buffy." Angel walked up with Alex and Chris took her in his arms. "And you don't give your mom too much trouble. I'll see you soon."

Angel shook Chris's hand. "Good luck."

"Thanks, uncle Angel." Chris handed Alex to Buffy.

"Thank you for coming here." Piper said, stepping forward and hugging her son. "I love you."

"I love you so much, mom."

"Now go on. Hurry." Piper looked at Leo. "You be safe."

"Thanks for all your help."

"You did a noble thing in coming here." Gideon said.

Chris looked down at Wyatt sitting in his stroller. "Be good." With all the good-byes said, Chris and Leo turned to face the wall.

"In this place and in this hour, we call upon the ancient power, open the door through time and space, create a path to another place." Phoebe, Piper, and Paige read together. The portal on the wall opened and Chris and Leo walked into the portal. When the portal was supposed to close, a different Leo and Chris stepped out. They looked back at the wall. "Where are we?" Chris asked. He was sporting longer hair and a pierced eyebrow.

They slowly turned to look out in front of them. "I have no idea." Leo said.

"Something's gone wrong." Gideon said. "Don't let them leave." Leo stuck out a hand and pushed Gideon backward into Phoebe. Chris held out his hand and a darklighter's crossbow and arrow appeared, locked, loaded, and ready to fire. The arrow shot toward Paige.

Piper gasped and froze the arrow in mid-air. "Are you out of your mind?" She knocked the arrow out of the air.

"Follow me." Leo said. He and Chris orbed out of the room, their bodies turning into black orbs as they left.

"What the hell was that all about?" Buffy asked, helping Phoebe get to her feet and walk over to the spot in front of the wall.

Gideon also got to his feet and said, "I'm not sure."

"You're not sure?" Paige asked. "Chris just tried to kill me, and you're not sure? We were supposed to send him back to the future, not turn him into a darklighter."

"Excuse me, people." Piper said. "Those were black orbs. Where did they get black orbs from?"

"Breathe, Piper." Buffy said. "You don't wanna go into labor yet."

"Well?" Paige asked Gideon.

"Perhaps the spell wasn't specific enough." He said.

"Meaning what?" Phoebe asked.

"Meaning it worked, obviously. It opened up a portal. Not to another time, but…. To another…. world. A parallel world. Not just any parallel world. One that's the exact reverse of ours."

"Reverse like what? Reverse like evil?" Angel asked.

"Precisely. You see, it's all part of the grand design. A universe destined to maintain balance. Light and dark, yin and yang, good and evil. For good to prevail in this world, then an equally evil world must also exist."

"Well, that's quite a faulty design, isn't it?" Paige asked.

"No, it's not, Paige. Balance is everything. Without it, the cosmos doesn't spin."

"Are you telling me that when our Leo and Chris stepped in there, their evil selves stepped out?" Buffy asked.

"Yes. It's a mirror world. Whatever happens there happens here."

"So our Leo and Chris are in their evil world." Phoebe said.

"Well, we gotta go get 'em." Piper said.

"You can't go get them. You're not going anywhere." Phoebe said to Piper.

"Besides, what about those evil fellas that just came through here?" Paige asked.

"We'll go get them later." Piper said.

"Actually, I think you should go after them now." Gideon said.

"Why?" Phoebe and Buffy asked.

"Because for every second that they're in our world, they risk throwing off the balance by doing something evil."

"Well, thanks for telling us this sooner." Buffy said. Gideon didn't have anything to say to that.

"Ok, let's go try and find evil Leo and Chris." Phoebe said. "Piper, you stay here and _do not_ worry about a thing. We'll fix this."

Phoebe sat at the table scrying for evil Leo and Chris while Paige examined the crystals from the box. Buffy sat with Angel and watched everything. They'd left Alex with Piper and Wyatt back at Magic School.

"I don't understand." Phoebe said. "If they're just like our Leo and our Chris, then why do we need a crystal cage to trap them?"

"So they don't try to kill us again, for one thing." Paige said.

"Yeah, I don't think they were trying to kill us. I think that they were just surprised, like we were." Buffy said.

"Yeah, well, I am not taking any chances." Paige said. She looked at Phoebe. "Hey, did you get any hits yet?"

"No, nothing." Phoebe said. "They must not be doing anything evil."

"Yeah, well, if Gideon's right, it's just a matter of time. Besides, we wouldn't want the cosmos to stop spinning, would we?"

"It's so weird to think that there are evil twins of us out there doing the exact same things as we are right now." Buffy said.

"I can't think about that. It hurts my brain."

The scrying crystal hit the map. "Oh! I got 'em."

Paige walked over and took a look at the map and then looked at Buffy. "You coming?"

"Of course." Buffy stood up and kissed Angel. "Be back soon." They orbed to an alley where evil Leo and Chris had Darryl pinned on the ground.

Paige put two crystals down on the ground as Darryl said to her, "See? This is the crazy-ass kind of stuff that makes me not wanna have anything to do with you people."

Paige orbed out as evil Chris said, "Who are you talking to?"

"Us." Buffy said.

Evil Leo and Chris turned around and Buffy expertly kicked the gun out of his grip. He chuckled. "That's not gonna stop us."

"No, but…."

"This will." Paige said, orbing in and putting the crystals down on the ground. It activated the crystal cage around them.

"Son of a bitch." Evil Leo said. He powered up an energy ball and threw it at the cage bars trying to get out. The energy ball bounced inside the cage and they ducked trying to avoid getting hit.

The energy ball powered out and Paige said, "Nice firepower, Leo. I didn't know you had it in you."

"Don't go anywhere." Phoebe said. She walked over to help Darryl.

He saw her outstretched hand and backed away from her, scrambling to his feet. "Stay away from me."

"Darryl, let us take you to Gideon. He can heal you."

"No! Stay away!"

"Darryl, please." Paige said.

"I said no, damn it! Leave me alone. I don't wanna have anything to do with you people anymore. Don't you understand?" Darryl ran away from the alley.

Buffy sighed and rolled her eyes. "Well, I don't think that helped our cause any."


	47. Chapter 47

Chapter 47

Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe waited in the Great Hall. Angel was standing with them listening to Buffy as she told him about what had happened. They heard the door close and turned to see Gideon walking into the room. Buffy had a sudden shock go through her and she shivered. Before she could comment and before Angel could ask if she was ok, Gideon said, "Did you catch them?"

"Yeah, stuck 'em in a classroom, and, you know, they can't orb out of there." Paige said.

"They are a little feistier than the real Chris and Leo." Phoebe said. "I don't know how we're going to get them to cooperate."

Gideon nodded. "Well, I'm sure your evil counterparts are anticipating exactly the same problems since, other than morality, you're one and the same."

"How does that help us figure out what we're supposed to do?" Buffy asked.

"Perhaps you should trade yourselves. You go into their world, they'll come into ours. You can each retrieve your respective Leo and Chris."

"Kind of makes sense." Paige said.

"And what about your evil counterpart? Will he be hip to this plan?" Phoebe asked.

"I have every confidence that he will be waiting there exactly as I am here." Gideon said. "But remember, good or evil, we're all after the same thing: Leo and Chris returned and the cosmic balance restored."

"Get Piper. We're gonna need the Power of Three."

Buffy glanced at Angel. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"Is that what that shiver was about?" Angel asked.

"I think so. Something's not right about him."

"What do you mean?" Paige asked.

"I can't explain it."

"Can it wait?" Phoebe asked.

Buffy sighed. "I guess so. But when this is all fixed, we've got to look into that feeling. It hit me too hard to be nothing."

The chalk-drawn triquetra on the Great Hall wall glowed white and the portal between the two worlds opened. Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige stepped out of the portal and into the Great Hall in the mirror world. They looked around and immediately noticed the differences. The place was darker and more malevolent weapons garnished the walls. Torturous, evil looking devices were out in the open where kids could get to them.

"Ok, where is everybody? Isn't Piper supposed to be here?" Buffy asked.

"This is weird. I don't think we should be here." Phoebe said.

"We should get out of here." Paige said.

Suddenly, a white light appeared out of nowhere and headed straight for them. The four of them ducked. When they looked up, evil Gideon was walking straight for them. "What are you doing? You're not supposed to be here." He said. "You have no idea what you've done. Just by coming here, you may have thrown both worlds irreversibly out of balance."

"Ok, well, doesn't killing us sort of do that, too?" Angel asked.

"Don't be ridiculous. If I wanted to kill you, I would have. I was just…. caught off guard."

"Well, you need to relax there, tiger." Phoebe said.

"It's a different world here Phoebs. One filled with distrust, even amongst allies."

"I don't understand. Where are your Paige and Phoebe?"

"And Buffy and Angelus?" Angel added.

"Out looking for your Leo and Chris." Evil Gideon said. "They were supposed to bring them back here."

"Well, your Leo and Chris are at our Magic School waiting to be rescued." Paige said.

"Ok, this is just one big mess. What happened to the whole yin-yang business?" Buffy asked.

"It's been thrown off, possibly as a result of the exchange of Leo and Chris." Evil Gideon said. "Two worlds…. that mirror each other when they're in balance. And they no longer are."

"Ok. If it's already bad, what's gonna happen now that we're here?" Angel asked.

"With both sets of sisters and both sets of Slayers and Angels on the same side, the balance is dangerously at risk. We have to work quickly to correct it."

"If you are suggesting a plan, don't." Phoebe said. "We've got it covered. You don't worry about it. We need to find this Piper."

"If you do, she'll probably kill you. She's evil, remember, and she's got a terrible temper. Worse when she's pregnant."

"Yeah, that's not much different in our world. Trust us, we can handle it." Buffy said.

"Your instincts are right to distrust me. I am evil, after all. But we both want the same thing."

"Ok, well, there's a little problem with that because your guys didn't uphold their end of the bargain." Paige said. "They did not find our guys."

"But you will. You know them…. know how they think."

"Ok, so we're gonna bring you your Chris and Leo, and then what?"

"You'll have our Piper for a Power-of-Three spell. She'll know it's the only way to get her men back. And if you encounter your counterparts, be careful. They will kill you."

Paige looked at the others and then orbed them to the Manor.

The world looked like hell. Trash littered the streets, broken car sirens blared in the background, loud pulsating rap music could be heard. The houses looked the same, but the front yards were unkempt and dirty. A man ran down the street with a purse tucked under his arm as the other neighbors ignored the theft.

"Ok, this place isn't just evil, it's ugly." Paige said.

"I don't think they're home." Phoebe said. "And I don't wanna go in there to find out."

"Charmed Ones working for Evil. The Slayer working for Evil. Who would've thunk it? Well, I'm with ya, especially after Gideon's little warning."

A kid riding a bike, took a metal rod he was carrying and swung it, breaking a car window. "Hey!" Phoebe called.

"I don't think Chris and Leo would've gone into that house either." Buffy said.

"Maybe they went to see Darryl like their counterparts did." Angel said. "I think we should talk to Darryl."

"I don't think if Darryl wants to talk to us in the good world, he's not gonna wanna talk to us in the evil world." Paige said.

A neighbor, out walking his barking and growling rotweiler, rounded the corner. Phoebe was startled by the dog and let out a yelp of surprise. They turned and walked across the street to avoid the dog. A taxi drove down the street and on the top of the roof was an advertisement saying "ASK PHOEBE / READ ME…. OR ELSE!"

"Maybe he will, if he thinks we're them." Angel said.

"Ok, I really think we need to get out of here." Paige said. She took out her cell phone.

"What're you doing?" Buffy asked.

"I wanna see if this works in the parallel world. Ah! It does. Hi, can I have Lieutenant Morris, please?"

"Hey!" They turned to see a patrol officer walking toward the Mrs. Noble in her black jogging outfit leaning back against the parked car. "Lady, you want me to give her a second citation, it's gonna cost ya."

"Why, you greedy son of a…." Mrs. Noble growled. "Haven't I given you enough already?"

"Hey, don't give me that!" He pushed her back.

"Hey, leave her alone!" Phoebe cried.

The patrol officer saw the four of them walking toward him and immediately started to back away from them, making a hasty excuse. "I, uh, I wasn't really gonna give you that citation." He turned and ran as they reached Mrs. Noble. Phoebe helped her to her feet. As soon as she got a good look at Phoebe, she let out a scream and ran away from them.

"Wow." Phoebe said. "We must be some bad-ass witches in this world."

"Yeah. Remember that for when we meet up with bad-ass Darryl." Buffy said.

"And pray we don't meet up with my counterpart." Angel said.

Buffy paused. "Angelus."

"Yeah."

"That just made me think of something."

"What?"

"Well, would he have a soul, like you?"

"No."

"This is a mirror world. Wouldn't that mean vampires, when they go soulless, actually turn good? So when you got your soul here, you turned evil."

"That would make you the evil Slayer of good vampires." Paige said.

"Man! This world is ass backwards!" Buffy shook her head as they continued to walked.

P-3 was now a strip joint. There were scantily clad women dancing up on stage. Evil Darryl sat on a seat getting a lap dance from one of the girls when Paige, Phoebe, Buffy, and Angel walked up to him. "Well, it looks like everybody's enjoying themselves." Paige said.

"Including Darryl." Phoebe said.

"Yuck." Buffy said.

"Just remember, we're used to this." Angel said.

"Right. Think mean." Paige said, shaking her shoulders and loosening them up. "Think nasty."

A man walked up to Buffy, fully intending to pick her up. Buffy rolled her eyes and pushed him away from her, sending him flying back. Ignoring him, they continued to make their way toward Darryl.

Phoebe cleared her throat and a couple of officers walked up to them to block them from reaching Darryl. He waved them away. "It's all right. Let 'em through. I knew you'd show up sooner or later."

"How's Sheila?" Phoebe asked.

"It's all right, honey. I'll be here all night." Darryl patted the stripper's bottom and she climbed off of his lap and walked away. "Sheila who?" He looked at one of his buddies and they shared a laugh, knocking knuckles in some sort of manly gesture.

Buffy had had all she could take. She stepped forward and kicked Darryl backward, chair and all tumbling to the floor. The back of his head hit the floor with a thud. She reached up, grabbed a nearby bottle of liquor off of the waiter's tray by its neck, broke it, and held the jagged edge up against Darryl's throat.

"So, I've learned a few things over the years and one of them is how to slit a throat so you die very, _very_ slowly. Now tell me: Leo and Chris, where are they?"

Darryl gulped, careful not to nick his neck on the broken bottle. "Last time I saw them was at the police station. Me and my boys tried to give Chris what he deserved. But Leo orbed him away. I've never seen him run from a fight before."

"Where'd they go?"

"If I knew, do you think I'd be here waiting for you? Where you been anyway? Undercover in the underworld?"

"Why?"

"Bright, happy colors? Not exactly your style. Get away from me. I don't want Sheridan to see me with you. She's been all over my ass." Buffy glanced in the direction of Darryl's gaze. Up on the stage, dancing on a pole, was Sheridan.

Buffy gave Darryl a hard shove on the floor. "Don't get up." They turned and headed for the door.

"Now what?" Paige asked.

"I think maybe we're looking at this all wrong. Maybe we all are."

"Come again?"

"If Darryl won't help Leo and Chris because he's evil, then they'd have to go to someone who's good, right, to help them?"

"Ok, yeah, but who's not evil here? Where are the good guys, they hiding?"

"They're in the underworld. It's like I said before: Demons are good here. And if I know Leo, he would have gone after the most powerful good demon there is."

"You're right." Phoebe said. "So, who's that?"

"I would say Barbas since Cole's dead and so is the Source." Paige said.

"Bingo." Buffy said. "Let's go." Paige orbed them out to a colorful garden. Barbas was dressed in white and had a smile plastered on his face. Leo and Chris were standing there with their backs to them.

"Oh, thank god." Paige said, causing the two men to turn around.

"Quickly, orb away." Barbas said. "I will deal with them. I've done it before."

"No, it's ok. They're the good ones." Leo said.

"Trust us. They're not evil." Chris added.

"No, but we are." They turned to see Evil Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, and Angelus stepping out into the open. They were all dressed in some seriously bad ass, black clothing. Evil Buffy had heavy black eyeliner rimming her eyes and making them look opaque blue. Angelus was in his usual black leather pants and black silk shirt.

"Nice knuckles." Phoebe said to her evil counterpart. "Brass?"

"No. Tiffany's." Evil Phoebe said.

"What a waste of a nice blue box." Paige said.

"What'd you say, witch?" Evil Paige said.

Buffy groaned. "Look, we didn't come here to fight. We just came here to get Leo and Chris."

"Well, so did we." Evil Buffy said.

"Fine. You give us ours, we'll give you yours." Angel said.

"Right, like we can trust you." Evil Paige said. "You're good."

"Wait, you can't trust us? Who are the evil ones here?" Phoebe asked.

"Come on, ladies." Barbas said. "Have some hope. We can work this out peacefully."

"Shut up!" Everyone said.

"We'll take care of you later." Evil Paige added.

Phoebe, Buffy, Paige and Angel turned around for a brief strategy conference as their evil counterparts also took the opportunity to discuss their strategy. "Ok, we're gonna have to make a move because the longer the worlds are out of balance the worse the damage is." Phoebe said.

"We have to get everyone back to where they belong." Buffy said.

"Problem is, there's no talking to those witches. I wish I could just vanquish them." Paige said.

"Me, too, but that'll really screw up the balance." Phoebe said. "We're gonna have to settle for knocking them out so we can get Leo and Chris out of here."

"Good." Paige said. "We'll orb out and grab them from behind."

"Perfect."

They all turned around immediately orbed out. The evil counterparts also black orbed out. Their orbs rose up and collided into each other causing a loud and powerful explosion mid-air. Each group fell back to the ground, landing on their backside as they re-animated into their selves. They get to their feet, all of them groaning.

"That sucked." Evil Phoebe said.

"All right, I'll take mine, you guys take yours." Phoebe said, stepping away as evil Phoebe stepped forward to join her.

Evil Paige held out her hand and a Darklighter's cross-bow appeared in her grip. She hoisted it up and pointed it straight at Paige. Evil Paige fired, but Paige held up her hand. The arrow orbed out and fell to the ground. Evil Paige fired again, but Paige orbed the arrow out and it too fell harmlessly to the ground.

Angel and Angelus stepped up together. "I've been waiting a long time for this." They both attacked.

Buffy and evil Buffy watched them for a moment before turning to each other. Buffy shook her head. "Why am I goth when I'm evil?"

Evil Buffy chuckled. "Same reason you're dressed in knock off Betsy Johnson colors."

"Because I can." They both said.

Buffy nodded. "So, Alex exists here, too? Does she dress like you?"

"Like mother, like daughter. Poor kid must look like a cupcake in your world."

They glanced over at Phoebe and evil Phoebe. They were deep in an evenly-matched hand-to-hand combat as were Angel and Angelus. Paige and evil Paige were still shooting arrows and orbing them out. Each punch thrown by one was blocked by the other. It was like watching two mirror images fighting against each other. Each move was matched and countered.

Evil Buffy shook her head and said, "That's why I'm not going to fight you."

"At least you've got common sense." Buffy said.

Evil Paige and Paige had the same idea at the same time. They each orbed a small boulder and hurled it toward the other. In the center, Leo yelled out a warning. They ducked and the two Buffys tackled their Angels out of the way just as the two orbed boulders collided mid-air with the other causing a small explosion. Pebbles and other debris rained down on them.

"This is nuts. No one can win." Leo said. "They're too evenly matched."

"Well, they think alike." Chris said. This time, Paige and evil Paige orbed larger rocks. Everyone but the two Phoebes scrambled to find some cover.

"We don't have time for this. I gotta get back to Piper. We gotta get you home."

"When Gideon said something can go wrong with the portal, I don't think he knew how wrong." Buffy said.

"You said Gideon?" Barbas asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Because just maybe he did know how wrong it could go."

"Say what?"

"What do you mean?" Leo asked. "Gideon is after Wyatt?"

"He was desperately hoping to eliminate Wyatt." Barbas said.

Both Buffys cell phones rang. "It's Piper." They both said. "Hello?"

"Where the hell are you? I'm in labor, for Christ's sakes. Get your ass down here." Piper said.

Both Phoebes looked over at their Buffy. "Is she ok?"

"She's in labor."

"Who's that?" Piper asked. "You've got an echo. What the hell is going on?"

"We're on our way." Both Buffys hung up. "We have to go get Piper."

"And Wyatt." Leo added.


	48. Chapter 48

Chapter 48

"I'm truly sorry, but this is for the greater good." Gideon held out an athame in his hands, intending to kill Wyatt, when it orbed out of his hand. Evil Buffy suddenly appeared, the athame in her hand. Gideon's eyes widened as he realized what was happening. Without even hesitating, evil Buffy plunged the athame deep in his chest. He cried out in pain and reached for the athame, pulling it out of his chest.

He started to swing it at evil Buffy, but Buffy kicked his hand away. Just then, both Phoebes and both Paiges started chanting and Gideon cried out in pain. "We call upon ancient lore to punish with the power of four, strike down this threat from both there and here, make him suffer, then disappear."

Gideon black orbed out, disappearing completely from the attic. Both Buffys reached down to scoop Wyatt up. Buffy stopped and glanced over at her evil counterpart. She backed away to allow evil Buffy to pick up her nephew just as Leo and Chris rushed into the attic. Leo picked up the athame. "This isn't going to stop."

"What?" Angel asked.

"Gideon's one of the most powerful Elders. If he wants Wyatt dead, he'll find a way."

"I can't believe it was Gideon all along." Chris said.

"And he's still out there." Buffy said. "If he wasn't vanquished here, he wasn't vanquished in our world, either."

"So what we need to do is get everybody back in the right place." Paige said.

"Yeah, fix this whole nutty balance thing." Evil Paige said at the same time.

Paige nodded. "I'm with ya."

"The problem is we don't have the Power of Three to open the portal." Leo said.

"No," Angel said. "But you do have…."

"The Power of Four." Angelus said.

The triquetra portal appeared on the attic wall, glowing white. Buffy, Angel, Leo, Paige, and Phoebe stepped out of the portal and into their world. Wyatt was sitting calmly in the center of the attic. "There's my brave little guy." Leo said.

"The portal's closing. We gotta get their men back through." Angel said.

"I'll get 'em."

Chris orbed out and Leo headed toward Buffy who had picked Wyatt up. "Hey, buddy. Aunt Buffy's got ya."

"Ok, so if Evil Piper's in labor, that means our Piper must be, too. We gotta get to the hospital." Phoebe said,

"Ok, we have to get the bag." Paige said.

"Go. We'll meet you at the hospital." Leo said. Paige and Phoebe rushed out.

"We're taking Wyatt." Buffy said.

"I'm going to leave him with you while I'm in the room with Piper. You're the strongest. Even Gideon wouldn't be foolish enough to take you on."

"He has magic."

"So do you." Suddenly, from outside, a gunshot sounded.

Buffy gasped, clutching at her chest, and Leo heard Paige screaming for help. Buffy looked at Leo, trying not to scare Wyatt with the pain she was feeling from Phoebe's chest wound. "Phoebe!" They rushed downstairs and Leo opened the door to a bright, sunny street. Paige was holding an unconscious and bleeding Phoebe on the front porch while a pleased looking Mrs. Noble and an officer stood over them. Leo picked Phoebe up and carried her into the house with Paige hot on his heels. He headed for the living room where he put Phoebe down on the couch. Buffy walked over to the playpen and put Wyatt inside.

"Don't let him out of your sight." Leo said to her.

"I'm not. What's taking so long?"

"I don't know."

"Damn it, Leo, you should have just healed her outside." Paige said.

"Right, and risk you getting shot, too? I don't think so."

Chris walked down the stairs. He only saw Buffy with Wyatt in his playpen. "Ok, so I just sent our evil twins through the portal, although…." He stopped dead when he finally saw Leo and Phoebe. "What happened?"

Phoebe gasped and woke up. "Thank god." Paige said, rushing over to Phoebe. Buffy wanted to join them, but she wasn't leaving Wyatt.

"I got him." Chris said to Buffy. She looked at him gratefully and rushed over to Phoebe.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Just remind me to never park on Mrs. Noble's driveway again." Phoebe said.

"Will someone please tell me what the hell is going on here?" Chris asked.

"The neighborhood patrol shot her point blank and nobody so much as blinked an eye." Paige said.

"What? Why?" Angel asked.

"Because by getting us all to the evil world, Gideon screwed up the balance, messed with the grand design." Leo said.

"Well, if you ask me, the grand design is pretty messed up in the first place." Paige said.

"Wait, so are you saying because of what he did, our world is bad now, too?" Buffy asked.

"No, on the contrary." Leo said. "It's good. Too good. Where every little infraction is a capital offense and everyone just accepts it."

"Oh, so we're starring in a little movie called 'Pleasantville'?" Paige asked.

"Ok, how come we weren't affected?" Angel asked.

"Because we must have been crossing over when the shift occurred." Leo said.

"Well, that must mean Gideon's not affected, either." Buffy said.

"No, he wouldn't be because he's an Elder."

"How do we know he's not using the situation to his advantage and coming after Wyatt again?"

"Because I'm going to find him first."

"No, you can't hurt him, Leo, not until he shifts the balance back, and you know he knows how to do that."

"Oh, my god!" Paige said. "We totally forgot about Piper. We have to get to the hospital."

"Who's going to watch Wyatt?" Leo asked.

"I will." Chris said. "Look, I didn't come all the way from the future just to lose him now, all right?"

Buffy looked at Chris. "I need you to get Alex too. She's probably at the nursery at Magic School."

"What if Gideon did something to her?" Paige asked.

Buffy and Angel both looked at Paige. "What?"

"I mean, Alex and Wyatt's future is intertwined. Didn't Gideon say that himself?"

Buffy turned to look at Leo. "I'll take you to get her and then we'll go to the hospital." Leo took Buffy's hand.

"No. Just bring me back here. Paige and Phoebe can go to the hospital. Chris, Angel, and I will be here with Alex and Wyatt."

Leo nodded and orbed them to the nursery at Magic School. Mrs. Winterbourne was with the children as usual. Buffy didn't see her daughter. "Leo…."

Leo walked up to Mrs. Winterbourne. "Leo." She said pleasantly. "Piper's having the baby. Why aren't you with her?"

"Where's Alex?" Leo asked.

"Oh, she's asleep. Gideon left her in her crib in Piper's room."

Buffy flew out of the room and rushed down the hallway to Piper's room. Alex was standing up in her crib, gripping the sides, and crying. "Sweetie." Buffy picked her daughter up and held her close. "It's ok. Wyatt's ok."

Leo rushed into the room. "Is she…."

"She's ok."

"Let's get her back to the Manor with Wyatt."

Chris stood at the scrying table waving the crystal around in a circle above the map. Buffy and Angel were sitting on the couch with Alex in Buffy's lap. Leo walked into the room with Wyatt in his arms. He'd gone to talk to an Elder after dropping Buffy off at the house.

"Anything?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, I thought I had him for a sec, but then I lost him." Chris said.

"Well, keep looking. Gideon's bound to surface again."

"Well, maybe you should ask the other Elders for some help."

"No."

"Trouble in paradise?" Buffy asked.

"Let's just say we're not seeing eye to eye."

"Well, then maybe you should…. I don't know…. Quit." Chris said. "Look, the girls are going to need another Whitelighter the moment I'm gone anyway."

"That's not why you want me to quit, Chris."

"Ok, fine, I admit, I would like to go back to a future where my parents are still together, all right?"

"It's just like I said when I was making the potion…." Leo stopped mid-sentence. "The potion…."

"What about the potion?"

"Well, Gideon didn't want it to work, right? But he did want us in this other world, which means it probably does work, which means we can get you home."

"No. I'm not going back."

"Chris, you have to."

"Not until I finish what I came here to do, and that's to save Wyatt from tur…. Turning evil."

"What?"

"Well, what I don't understand is, if Gideon always viewed Wyatt as a threat, why did he turn him evil in my future?"

"He didn't do it intentionally." Angel said.

"What?"

"I think Gideon tried to kill Wyatt in your future…. only just like in this time, he found out that Wyatt can protect himself. So, he probably had to get him away so he could figure out how to do it."

"You mean kidnap him."

"Imagine being taken away from us for weeks, maybe even months. Constantly fending off Gideon's attack."

"I had no idea."

"We're going to change that future, Chris." Leo said. "For both of your sakes."

Suddenly, Alex orbed out of Buffy's arms and into the crib with Wyatt. Angel looked at his daughter in shock. "Did she…."

"No. Wyatt did that." Chris said. "He did that a lot." He went back to scrying.

A few minutes later, Paige and Phoebe orbed into the attic. "What are you doing here?" Leo said. "Is Piper ok?"

They hurried to the Book of Shadows. "No, but she will be, thanks to us and our evil twins." Phoebe said.

"Wait, you saw them? Where?" Chris asked.

Phoebe opened the Book and started flipping through it as Paige said, "In Gideon's office. Talk about your vanity mirrors."

"We have a plan." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, we're going to shift the world back from Gideon so he can't use it to his advantage."

"How?" Leo asked.

"We're going to use a spell to…." A white glow washed over Phoebe and Paige. Phoebe chuckled and Paige smiled goofily.

"What just happened?" Chris asked.

"I don't know." Leo said.

Buffy stood up. "Are you guys all right?"

"Yeah. Yeah. I've never felt better." Paige said.

"Ok, so back to the plan. You were saying?"

"Yeah, the plan was just to go see Piper in the hospital." Phoebe said.

"That's a really good plan." Paige said.

"I know." They walked out of the attic leaving Leo, Buffy, Angel, and Chris perplexed with what just happened. Leo grabbed Wyatt and Buffy grabbed Alex and they trailed behind them. "No time to dawdle. There's a baby on the way."

"This is crazy. You can't leave like this." Angel said.

"Well, we can't very well ignore Chris' birth. We have to celebrate." Paige said.

"I'm the baby. I give you permission not to." Chris said.

"What? And miss all the excitement? Seeing you for the first time, burping you, picking out a name?"

"I already have a name."

"Oh, gosh. You do, don't you? Well, now would be the perfect time to change."

"How did you get your name? It doesn't start with a P." Phoebe said.

"It was Leo's father's name."

"Aww…. That is so sweet."

"I can't wait to tell Piper." Paige gasped. "I'm going to get her bag."

"It's in the kitchen, all ready to go."

Paige giddily turned and left the room, heading for the kitchen. Phoebe turned to Chris and pinched his cheek. "Oh! You are going to be so cute! Yes, you are. Ooh! Yes, you are. Doo-doo, doo doo-doo doo." She finally turned and walked away.

"Ok. We need to snap them out of this…. fast." Chris said.

"Piper must have cast a spell." Buffy said. "She's the only one who could do this to them."

"Why would she do that?" Angel asked.

"She wouldn't." Leo said.

"Unless…. Gideon wanted her to, to distract them like he did before, so he can go after Wyatt." Buffy said.

"All set!" Paige sang as they walked back in.

Phoebe hold up the car keys. "Let's go."

"Wait. You guys can't leave yet." Leo said. "Gideon might be coming for Wyatt any minute."

"Oh, is he baby-sitting?" Paige asked.

"No, he's trying to kill Wyatt. Don't tell me you don't remember." Chris said. They burst out laughing. "You're laughing. That's great. Your nephew's almost killed, and you're laughing."

"You're silly! Yes, you are. Ooh, yes, you are." Phoebe baby-talked.

"Like an Elder would ever, ever do that." Paige said.

"It must be the spell." Leo said. "They don't remember because Gideon doesn't want them to."

"A spell? What spell?" Phoebe asked.

The doorbell rang. "Visitors." Paige headed to the door to answer it. Phoebe smiled and followed her. Leo turned to follow, but Chris stopped him.

"Hey, stay with Wyatt." Chris said.

Angel went with Chris and Buffy and Alex stayed with Leo and Wyatt. They went into the sitting room and looked out at the bright sunny world. "Not to be Miss States-The Obvious, but we've got to find Gideon." Buffy said. "It's only a matter of time before he thinks about coming after Alex to get to Wyatt. And I don't want either of these kids hurt."

"I don't either."

"So, we've got to figure a way to get to Gideon."

Chris and Angel walked into to the sitting room. "What's going on?" Angel asked.

"We're thinking of a way to get to Gideon."

"If Gideon did get to Piper," Leo said. "Maybe he left a trail I could follow."

"Hurry." Buffy said.

Leo walked off, leaving Wyatt with Chris.


	49. Chapter 49

Chapter 49

Wyatt and Alex were sitting in the playpen watching Buffy, Chris, and Angel. Chris glanced up from the Book of Shadows to look at Buffy sitting on the floor by the playpen playing peek-a-boo with her daughter and nephew. Angel was sitting on the couch reading a book. The attic was silent except for the crackling of the pages of the Book as Chris flipped through it and the occasional "peek-a-boo" from Buffy.

But the silence was broken when the floorboard creaked. Buffy and Angel stopped what they were doing and looked around the attic. "Hello?" Buffy called. After a minute more of silence, they went back to what they were doing. There was another loud creak in the attic. This time, the creak continued as if someone were walking through the attic.

"Buffy…." Angel said.

Not needing more, Buffy moved over to stand by the crib. "Ok, it's time to get you guys outta here." Buffy said. Before Chris could get to her side, he was thrown across the attic, landing hard on the floor and smashing into the wooden table, breaking it to bits. "Chris!" Gideon appeared in the attic standing in front of the playpen. He turned to Buffy and orbed her and Angel outside before they could attack.

Chris groaned and started to get up. "Don't make me sacrifice you both." Gideon said.

Chris gritted his teeth and gestured for all he was worth, determined to stop Gideon from taking the kids. Gideon was caught off guard and was flung high across the attic. He turned and landed on the floor hard. From his position on the floor, Gideon held out his hand and his athame appeared in his grip. He disappeared from sight.

Fearing for Wyatt and Alex, Chris jumped to his feet and dashed across the attic toward the playpen to reach him, but Gideon wasn't after the kids. He appeared mid-way directly in front of Chris and plunges the athame into Chris's abdomen.

Chris fell to his knees, his face contorted in pain. "Dad!" Chris cried before falling to the floor. Buffy and Angel ran back in to the attic, Angel smoking slightly, just as Gideon orbed out with both kids.

Buffy screamed and tried to grab the orbs, but Gideon was gone. "Chris!" She turned to him and saw that he was bleeding badly.

Leo orbed in and found Buffy crying and holding a bleeding Chris in her lap on the floor.

"Oh, god." He fell to his knees beside them. "Chris?"

"Heal him Leo!" Buffy said.

Leo tried to heal him, but it didn't work. "Let's get him somewhere he can be comfortable." Angel said.

A few minutes later, Chris fell back on Piper's bed in pain and sweating. Leo knelt down next to him and put his hands over his wound to try to heal him again. His hands glowed, but the wound wasn't healing.

"You have to find Wyatt and Alex." Chris said.

"We're going to find them…. All of us…. together."

"It won't work. You've already tried. Gideon's magic did this to me. He's the only one who can stop it. Just…. go. Saving Wyatt saves the future. You know that."

"Gideon doesn't know how to kill Wyatt, remember? We still have time."

"Only until the trauma turns him."

"I am not going to choose between you and Wyatt, Chris. I can't."

"You don't have to, dad. Find Gideon and you save us both."

"All right. All right, but I'm not leaving you alone. I'll be right back."

"Where are you going?" Buffy asked.

"To get one of the girls to watch over Chris." He looked at Chris. "You're going to be fine. Ok? I promise." Leo leaned over and kissed him tenderly on his forehead. He pulled back and orbed out.

Buffy held Chris's hand, but it was him giving her comforting words. "Alex and Wyatt are gonna be ok. You're going to save them."

"God damn it, we better." Buffy said. "If Gideon hurts one hair on them…."

"We'll stop him." Angel said.

Buffy suddenly orbed out of the room. She found herself standing with Leo at Magic School. "Come on." He said.

Buffy followed Leo into Gideon's study. He walked over and pushed a curtain covering a mirror aside to find evil Leo and evil Buffy in its reflection. For a brief moment, they were both taken aback. It was the first time the two men had come face-to-face. The surprise at what their opposite selves looked like was evident on both their faces.

Evil Buffy rolled her eyes and said, "He's got to be hiding in the underworld."

"I agree." Buffy said. "It's the only place he can go to avoid being sensed."

"Which means he must have both of our Wyatts and Alexs there, too." Evil Leo said.

"Still, it's too vast." Leo said. "We have to narrow it down."

"Wait. It is too vast. For Gideon, too, right?"

"Somebody's got to be helping him." Both Buffys said.

"But who?" Leo asked.

"Whoever helped him get to Piper in the hospital." Evil Leo said.

"I went to the hospital and tried to pick up a trail…." Leo said.

"But I was overwhelmed with…." They both took a deep breath.

"Hope." Evil Leo said as Leo said, "Fear."

"It's Barbas." Buffy said.

"So, if we find Barbas…." Leo said.

"We'll find Gideon." Evil Buffy said.

Evil Leo and evil Buffy black orbed out. A heartbeat later Buffy and Leo orbed out, too.

"Leo! Leo!" Paige yelled.

Buffy and Leo orbed in. "Sorry." Leo said. "We were in the underworld looking for…."

"What's wrong?" Buffy interrupted. The bedroom door opened and two members of the SWAT team emerged followed by Sheridan and Darryl. "What's going on? What the hell are you doing here?"

"Nothing. We didn't have to." Sheridan said.

"I'm sorry, Leo." Darryl said.

Leo brushed past them and headed for the bedroom with Buffy hot on his heels. Chris was lying on the bed, weak, pale, and dying. "Oh, Chris." Buffy said.

Chris used whatever strength he had left and turned his head toward the sound of Buffy's voice. "Hey."

Leo knelt down next to the bed while Buffy went around to sit on Chris's other side. Paige lingered quietly in the doorway. "Hey. I'm here now." Leo said. "You can…. Hold on, ok? Hold on…. hold on. I'm here. You can hold on, ok? Don't give up, ok?"

"You, either." He moved his fingers toward Buffy and she took his hand. "Love you both." Chris shut his eyes.

"No, no, no. Please…. no. No, please." Leo started to cry as he leaned forward and buried his head against his son's shoulder. Buffy leaned over and kissed her nephew's forehead as he slowly faded away, his body vanishing completely from existence. Leo was left leaning into the bed, his face buried in the sheets where Chris had been.

Buffy looked over, tears staining her face, at Paige and Angel standing in the doorway. Angel started to hold his arms out to her, but she shook her head and looked at Leo. "Leo." She said softly. He looked up, realizing his son wasn't there anymore. "Leo…." Leo let out a scream and stood up in a rage. He powered up an energy ball and threw it at Piper's mirror, shattering it. "Leo!"

He left the room and headed up to the attic. His grief was overwhelming as he continued to exhibit powers they never knew he had. He smashed another energy ball into the furniture in the attic. He turned, cried out, and a lethal stream of electricity shot out from his hands, shattering the mirror on the side of the wall. Pulses of electricity continued to crackle around Leo as he turned to fire out another stream of energy out at the contents on the table.

Paige and Angel were hiding behind the chair, taking cover as Leo continued his rage over Chris's death. He picked up the nearby table and threw it across the attic room. With a roar, he fired streams of electricity at the windows, shattering the stained glass raining shards on the floor. Buffy had had enough. She walked into the room from her place in the doorway and grabbed his wrists to stop him.

"Leo, stop it!" He took a step back from her, trying to pull away from her iron grip. "This isn't going to bring him back."

"I promised him I'd get him home safely." Leo said.

"I know. I promised him I would be there for him no matter what." Buffy's breath hitched slightly as tears fell down her cheeks. "But you can still save his future, and you can still save Wyatt and Alex. We have to hurry and you need to focus. You need to focus on Barbas."

"Barbas?" Paige asked. "What's he got to do with this?"

"He's working with Gideon. That's how we think he got to Piper."

"That's…. how I think he got to me." Leo said.

"Gideon teamed up with a demon for that?" Angel asked.

"No." Buffy said. "An act of Great Evil in our world restores the balance. That's what he was using Barbas for."

"So, they're working together. That means they must be in contact with each other, right?" Paige asked.

"So?"

"So, that means maybe that's a way to find Gideon. The next time they try to contact each other, you just intercept it."

Buffy stood in the shadows with Leo disguised as Barbas. Gideon had made a call to him and Leo had managed to intercept it. They were standing a cave in the Underworld. Wyatt and Alex were sitting on the floor together. Suddenly, five crystals orbed on the ground around them and activated a white cage of impenetrable energy around the kids.

Gideon stepped out further into the main cavern. "So sorry to lure you like this. Barbas, where are you? Barbas!" At the opposite end of the cave where Buffy and Leo were waiting, Leo stepped out. He made his way toward Gideon. "It's time."

"Took you long enough." Leo said.

"Your impatience is growing tiresome." Gideon held up the athame. "I blessed it already. Now it's your turn. Is something wrong?"

Leo moved around Gideon, causing him to turn his back to Buffy. "As a matter of fact…." Leo took a couple of steps closer to the crystal cage "There is." Leo reached forward and stabbed Gideon in the chest.

"Why?"

"Barbas" changed back into Leo. "Because…. you murdered my son." Leo glanced at Buffy who was now standing behind Gidoen.

"And you kidnapped my daughter." Gideon turned and Buffy backhanded him in the face, sending him sailing through the air and across the cavern. He landed hard outside the cave entrance.

Leo looked at Buffy. "I'll be right back. You get them out of there." He turned and made his way toward Gideon.

"Leo, please, you have to understand. I am only doing this for the greater good. I swear." Gideon said.

Leo reached out and knocked the athame out of his grip and picked Gideon up by his black robe. "How is killing a child ever for the greater good, huh? Who the hell are you to decide that, huh?" Leo threw Gideon across the cave. Leo walked over and grabbed Gideon and picked him up.

"I'm an Elder! So are you! It's what we do."

"I'm not one of you anymore." Leo lifted Gideon up off his feet, his back against the wall.

"Leo, listen to me. You know what happens. You know what Chris came here to stop." At the mere mention of his son's name, anger and grief surged through Leo. He tossed Gideon back into the center of the floor. Gideon landed on his back, exhausted. He tried to get back to his feet, though. "Let me finish what I started. Let me save the future…. the only way it can be saved."

"You're the reason the future's threatened, Gideon…. Not Wyatt or Alex…."

"No…."

"But because of what you do to them. I'm about to make sure neither one of you get the chance again. Mirror!" With a gesture of his hand, Leo orbed Gideon's magic mirror into the cavern where it appeared suspended in mid-air.

Gideon stretched back to look at the mirror. In its reflection, evil Leo stood in the good Barbas's underworld garden. Evil Buffy stood in the background, watching everything just like the good Buffy was doing. She'd gotten Wyatt and Alex over to the entrance of the cave and put them off to the side where she could still see them, but they couldn't see what was happening. Wyatt had his shield around him and Alex.

"You ready?" Evil Leo asked.

"Remember…. you can't do anything. I have to do this alone." Leo said.

"I know."

Gideon turned his head away from the mirror to look at Leo. "Do…. do what?"

"A Great Evil." Leo said. His eyes glowed white and with both hands, he gestured and fired a stream of electricity point-blank at Gideon. The power from the electrical surge lifted Gideon completely off the ground and up into the air. The bolt of electricity got stronger and stronger. In the mirror, Leo's power lifted evil Gideon off the ground into the air as evil Leo stood on the side doing nothing. Both Gideons continued to cry out in pain and still, Leo didn't stop.

Thick streams of energy shot from Leo's hands and then stopped. Smoking, Gideon fell to the ground, his back to the mirror. His mirrored self also had his back to the mirror. Leo looked down at Gideon. His evil self also looked down at evil Gideon with contempt.

"You have no idea…. What you've done." With a final breath, Gideon died. His body faded away into black dust, leaving a mark on the ground in front of the mirror.

Evil Leo and Leo looked back at each other. "Didn't know you had it in you." Evil Leo quipped.

"Our worlds can never cross over again." Leo said.

"Take care of your family."

"You, too." Both Leos gestured at the mirror at the same time and it exploded, destroying it completely.

Leo turned and looked at Buffy. "Good job, soldier." She said.

Leo nodded grimly and walked to Wyatt. He knelt down held Wyatt in his arms. "I got you. You're safe now. I have you. I have you." Buffy was holding Alex tightly, kissing her hair. "Buffy…."

"You don't have to say it, Leo." Buffy said. "I know."

Angel, Phoebe, and Paige paced in the waiting area waiting for news on Piper. There'd been a complication and she'd started hemorrhaging. The doctor hadn't planned on doing anything until the change had come over the world, setting it to right. Carrying Wyatt, Leo made his way through the door with Buffy holding Alex right behind him.

Phoebe looked up and saw them. "They found them." Everyone rushed over to them. Phoebe took Wyatt from Leo. "Hey."

"Are they ok?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." Leo said. They weren't with Gideon long enough to do any damage."

"What happened to Gideon?"

Buffy touched her daughter's back as Angel held her. She knew Leo shouldn't say anything about what he'd done, so she quickly changed the subject. "How's Piper?"

Behind them, Dr. Roberts walked over to them. "She's resting comfortably."

"Is she ok?" Phoebe asked.

"We stopped the bleeding, obviously had to perform a c-section, but I think she's going to be ok."

"And the baby…. is he all right?" Leo asked.

"You tell me." Dr. Roberts turned to the recovery room doors and pushed the button on the wall. The double doors opened and he stepped aside to allow the family to look inside the room. In the back of the room, the orderlies wheeled Piper's bed into position. In the front, a maternity ward nurse carried baby Chris wrapped in a blue blanket. She made her way toward them to show them the baby. "Congratulations. He's perfectly healthy."

"Really?" The nurse put Chris in Leo's arms.

"Oh, look…. he's beautiful. Baby Christopher." Phoebe said as Leo looked down at his son in his arms and smiled with a new father's pride. "That's your brother."

"Looks like we didn't lose him after all." Buffy said.

"Can we see Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, maybe just one of you for now." Dr. Roberts said.

Leo glanced at Phoebe. "Go tell her we love her." Buffy said. Leo smiled and stepped into the recovery room toward Piper.

"Where'd the baby go?" Phoebe said to Wyatt. "That's your brother."

They all watched as Leo carried Chris over to Piper. Exhausted, she looked up and saw Leo with Chris and smiled. Leo grinned, his eyes on Chris. Piper held out her arms and Leo gently placed Chris in her arms.


	50. Chapter 50

Chapter 50

In the center of the yard was the ceremonial gazebo where the wedding was in mid-ceremony. On the left under the gazebo was the priest, in the center was the couple, Christy Peters and Jeevan Amand, both in traditional Indian dress. Buffy was sitting in the back with her 11 month old daughter looking around for her cousins. She and Angel had been down in Sunnydale and Los Angeles visiting their friends. Buffy had left early that morning to make it to Christy's wedding and Angel would have Paige or Leo orb down and get him later.

"We have come together on this glorious day to wed Christy and Jeevan, who are here to build the foundation of their marriage upon the earth in the presence of the sacred fire and among their family and friends."

Buffy looked down at Alex sitting on the chair next to her. She was sitting quietly, playing with her little cardboard book. Her daughter was one of the most well behaved kids she'd ever known. When Alex finally realized her mother's attention was on her, she looked up and smiled. "Mama."

Buffy heard a car drive up and looked back. Leo drove the SUV up the driveway and the valet opened the car doors.

"Oh, we are so late. Has the ceremony started?" Phoebe groaned.

"Yes, ma'am." The valet said as Leo handed him the keys and took the ticket in return.

"Oh, no. I told you to just go ahead and go." Piper said as she got Chris out of the back seat while Phoebe and Leo got the stroller out of the back of the SUV.

"Yeah, well, I don't understand why you couldn't leave the baby with Paige." Phoebe said.

"When you're a mother, you'll understand."

"Yeah, that's assuming I'm gonna have any eggs left." Phoebe struggled with the stroller. "How do you do this thing?"

"Here." Buffy said. She had walked over to meet them with Alex in her arms.

"Hey!" Phoebe hugged her tightly. With one hand, Buffy opened the stroller with ease.

"Oh. It's gonna be so nice to have a Slayer around the house again!"

"What, a man around the house isn't working?"

Phoebe looked a Leo sheepishly. "Oh, it is nice."

"Yeah. Except I think I should still be after Barbas." Leo said.

"Not until you can distinguish between a demon and an Elder. You're stuck with us."

Piper got her cell phone out and dialed. "Paige? Hi!"

Phoebe turned and looked at Piper, shocked. "What are you doing? Give me that." She took the cell phone from Piper. "What are you doing?"

"What do you mean what am I doing? I'm checking on Wyatt."

Phoebe turned the phone off. "You just checked on Wyatt. Have you guys thought about seeing a shrink?"

"Yeah. We did that." Piper finally noticed Buffy and Alex. "Hi! Welcome back."

"Thanks."

"Hi Alex!" Phoebe took her niece from Buffy and hugged her tightly.

"Say hi aunt Phoebe."

"I," Alex said. "Bebe."

"Oh!"

"She's talking so clear!" Piper said. "Hi, sweetie." She kissed Alex on her cheek.

"E-o!" Alex said, leaning out of Phoebe's arms to be held by Leo.

"Yeah, we've been working on it." Buffy said, watching her daughter. "She's so smart! Most babies don't learn names this early."

Phoebe grabbed a couple of wedding programs off of the unattended reception table and gave one to Piper and Leo pushed the stroller onto the sidewalk toward them. "Ok, look, I know you haven't been out of the house in a very, very long time, but this is Christy's wedding, so please try to have fun." Phoebe said.

Piper looked at the illustrated couple on the program cover. "Is this a wedding or an orgy?"

"It's a Hindu ceremony. It's supposed to be very, very, very romantic."

Chris started crying. "Oh. See? I knew this would happen. This is over-stimulation. We gotta get out of here." She turned to wave to the valet as their car was driven off to be parked. "Hey! Excuse me! Wait!"

"No, no. No, no. You know what? You guys go, and I'll take care of Chris, ok? You guys go in and have a good time. Have fun. Remember what that is, fun?" She motioned to Leo to give her control over the stroller. "Come on." Piper and Leo moved hesitantly toward the entrance to the wedding. Phoebe motioned to Piper. "Diaper bag." She took the diaper bag from Piper. "Thank you." She grabbed Buffy's hand. "You're staying here. I haven't seen you for a month and a half."

"My diaper bag…."

"Leo and Piper can bring it back with them." She looked at Piper and Leo. "Go, go, go." Piper and Leo hesitantly joined the audience where Buffy and Alex had been sitting.

Chris was still crying and Phoebe found herself at a loss at what to do. She tried rocking the stroller back and forth.

"Here." Buffy leaned down and picked Chris up, holding him against her heart. "You're ok. Shh. You're ok, Chris."

"Chris, huh?" Buffy and Phoebe turned around and found Inspector Sheridan and Darryl standing on the grass behind them. "Interesting name. Same as the guy who died in your house a couple months ago, isn't it?"

"Are you following me?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, I am. Well, actually, I would have approached you sooner, but, uh, Lieutenant Morris here thought that you might need some time to mourn your loss. He's very protective of you. Seems to know you real well, which is why I asked him to be my partner on this. You know, Phoebe, you and your sisters don't seem to be getting out much lately. And Buffy, you left for a month and a half. Why is that, I wonder? You're not hiding from me, are you?"

"We've got nothing to hide." Buffy said. "My boyfriend and I were visiting our friends downstate."

"Good, then you'll have no objections coming downtown to answer some questions. You've just been served." Sheridan held out the paper.

"Questions about what?" Phoebe asked.

"About what really happened to…. the other Chris. How he mysteriously broke out of jail, how come he doesn't seem to appear in any database, how come you didn't have a funeral for him, what happened to his body…. you know, just stuff like that. Four o'clock. Don't be late." Sheridan walked away.

Buffy shook her head and looked at Darryl. "You know, I can almost understand you not helping us, but to help her?"

"It's not like that, I swear." Darryl said. "I don't want to be in the middle of this, but she knows I know something. She knows we got history."

"And you think if she exposes us, she's not gonna bust you, too?"

Sheridan cleared her throat. "Coming, Lieutenant?"

"You're gonna have to choose a side, Darryl. It's just the way it works." Buffy said, turning away and dismissing Darryl.

"Mama mama." Alex said, tugging on Buffy's skirt. She held her hands up towards Chris.

Buffy smiled and put the now sleeping Chris in his stroller. "Say 'hi Chris.'"

"Iss." Alex leaned over and kissed Chris's cheek.

Buffy heard footsteps running frantically across the grass and looked up to sees Piper and Leo running toward them. Piper was wearing Leo's jacket. "Hey! Is the wedding over already?"

Leo opened his mouth to explain, but seemed to not be able to find the words to describe it. He gaped wordlessly for a moment, then turned to Piper. She opened the jacket with both hands to show another four tucked inside. She raised her middle two hands and waved.

"Oh," Phoebe said.

"My," Buffy said.

"God." They both said.

"Let's get outta here." Leo said as Piper shut the jacket closed around her.

"I don't understand." Paige said. "How could this have happened?"

"Beats the hell out of me." Phoebe said.

The two and Buffy were both staring at Piper in traditional Hindu dress as she tended to both her children efficiently. One hand held the bottle for Chris as a second hand gently pulled up the blanket over him. Her third hand stirred Wyatt's food with a spoon held in her fourth hand while her fifth hand brushed his hair lightly from his forehead.

Leo walked into the room and smiled as he gazed at Piper. "Isn't she beautiful?" He walked up behind Piper as he continued to watch her. With her sixth hand, Piper grabbed and squeezed Leo's back side. He inhaled sharply and she glanced back and smiled coyly at him.

"I can't believe what I'm seeing." Buffy said.

"Tell me about it." Phoebe said. "When was the last time you saw Piper grab Leo's ass."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"Uh, we need to do something…. quickly." Paige said.

The phone rang and Piper answered it with one of her many hands. "Hello? Phoebe, it's for you."

"Ok, Paige. Book of Shadows. Hindu spirits." Phoebe said. Paige nodded and headed out of the room as Phoebe reached for the phone. "Hello? Uh, actually, Elise, yeah. I'm kind of up to my elbows in stuff. Wait. What? Leslie? Ok. Who…. who's Leslie? Elise, don't you think I should have a say in this? Yeah…. no, now's not really a good time. Hello? She hung up on me. I cannot believe she hung up on me." Phoebe handed the phone back to Piper and Piper put it down, turned, and wrapped her six arms around Leo. "Ok. We'll just leave you two to go at it." Buffy and Phoebe walked out and headed up to the attic.

"Bright side?" Buffy asked. "At least we know that Piper and Leo still have the hots for each other."

"Yeah, well, you better be careful with that whole hots thing because it's contagious." Paige said. "Don't stand too close. It comes courtesy of Shakti, the Hindu goddess of creation, and Shiva, her lover, the god of destruction."

"Ok, but why did this happen to Piper and Leo?" Buffy asked. "Any ideas?"

"Why does anything happen to any of us around here?"

"Good point."

"'Shakti and Shiva are commonly invoked at weddings because they're considered to be the ultimate lovers.'" Phoebe read.

"Well, I'm thinking it's meant to be symbolic." Paige said.

"Unless there are magical lovers to hijack?"

"Read on."

"'Shakti, also called the ultimate mother, and Shiva together created all things, and if they consummate their love again, all things will be obliterated and the universe will be reborn.'"

"Talk about your big bang theory."

"We so need to break them up." Buffy said.

Phoebe and Paige nodded and followed Buffy downstairs. Piper and Leo were kissing passionately, completely consumed in each other. "All right, stop it!" Phoebe said. "You two, stop it right now! Stop it, stop it, stop it." Phoebe and Paige physically pulled the two apart. "You go over there, you over here." Phoebe pulled Piper aside, but Piper used her six hands to push Phoebe away from her, keeping Phoebe busy slapping at Piper's six hands. "And keep your hands to yourself."

"But you're interrupting us." Piper said.

"And saving life as we know it." Buffy said.

"What are you talking about?" Leo asked.

"Look at your outfit. Does that look like something you normally wear?"

"Well, no."

"Exactly. This is not the first time we have been hijacked by gods. So you just have to fight it."

"I don't want to fight it. I haven't felt this potent in years."

"Oversharing."

"Any idea how to redirect his potency?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. We should send him after Barbas." Paige said.

"Barbas?" Leo asked.

"And what about the risk to the Elders?" Phoebe asked.

"I think the risk to the universe is greater." Paige said. "I made a vanquishing potion. I'll go get it."

"I won't need it." Leo looked at Piper. "I'll be back."

"I'll be waiting." Piper said. With the crack of lightning, Leo disappeared out of the room. "Wow, is that hot or what?"

"Or what." Phoebe agreed as Piper leisurely reclined on the chair, her four hands linked on her tummy as she waited for Leo to return.

"Ok, I'm gonna go to magic school and try to find a spell to dispossess them." Paige said.

"Take the babies with you. They'll be safer there." Buffy said.

"No! The baby stays with me." Piper said.

"Ok." Buffy looked at Phoebe as she turned to leave the room. "Where are you going?"

"I have to go to, you know, work."

"What about…."

"Just keep them apart." And with that, Phoebe was gone.


	51. Chapter 51

Chapter 51

Buffy was putting Wyatt and Alex down for their naps when she heard a loud crash from Piper's room. She shut the door to the nursery and rushed in to see three demons blur into the bedroom. They each powered up energy balls and aimed them at Piper, but Buffy kicked them each in the back. In a fabulous display, Piper utilized all six arms and shot back bolts of electricity at the three demons. One demon managed to get up and throw a power ball, but Piper deflected it and it hit the light behind her.

As she and Buffy fought the three demons, Barbas flamed in undetected and dangerously near the bassinet. One of the three demons exploded from a bolt of electricity. Barbas stepped closer to the bassinet and smiled down at Baby Chris. The second demon exploded from his own power ball that Buffy threw back at him with Prue's powers. As Piper blew up the third and final demon, Buffy spotted Barbas stepping closer to the bassinet.

"No!" Buffy waved her hand and sent Barbas flying. Piper blasted him with electricity from all six of her hands. Barbas gingerly touched his wound and found his own blood on his hands. He sighed and smiled as he flame out. Piper stared at Barbas and turned to look down at the bassinet when Chris started to wake up.

"No, no, it's ok, Peanut." She said. "You're ok." Piper picked him up. "Shh, shh, shh, shh, shh."

"I'm going to check on Alex and Wyatt." Buffy rushed back to the nursery. Both Alex and Wyatt were sleeping soundly and there was no sign of Barbas. Paige rushed in. "Is everything ok?"

"Shh." Buffy shut the door. "Barbas tried to kidnap Chris."

"What!"

"He's ok." Piper said. "There's just a real mess in my room, though. How are the kids?"

"They're still sleeping." Buffy said.

"Go upstairs and get the crystals. We're going to put them around the room to keep them safe."

"Got it."

"Thank you."

Buffy walked downstairs with Alex as Phoebe walked into the house. She was seething about something and talking to herself. "Doctor. Doctor, my ass. I'd like to actually see proof that he's a doctor, you know?"

"What are you muttering about?" Buffy asked.

"Elise. She hired a man. Can you believe that? I don't know what she was thinking."

"Hired a man for what?"

"My job. That's what. Might possibly be the worst idea I've ever had. I don't know what I was thinking."

"You quit?"

"No, no." Phoebe smiled as she picked Alex up. "I'm just taking a sabbatical. Well, I was taking a sabbatical. I'm clearly not anymore."

"So, you'll never guess what happened while you were gone."

"I mean, it's just the most ridiculous…. have you even ever heard of a male advice columnist? I haven't."

"Try to guess. You won't be able to."

"And I don't care what the Book says about the Divine Horniness only being rubbed off if you're attracted to someone because there's no way I'm attracted to him. Ha ha! Oh, god, I hope he's not the one from my vision. I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Barbas tried to kidnap baby Chris."

"Buffy, that is not funny."

"I'm not trying to be funny. It's true."

"Oh, no."

"Oh, yes. Piper's upstairs putting him to sleep right now. He's ok. He didn't get hurt."

"Oh, thank goodness. Leo's gonna go ballistic."

"Yes, and that's why Piper doesn't want us to tell him anything."

Just then, Leo walked into the room. "Tell me what?"

"How much she wants you. Piper. She desperately wants you." Phoebe said.

"You're not supposed to tell him that." Buffy said.

"I know. But you know me with secrets. I can't keep them."

"How did it go with Barbas?"

"It didn't." Leo said. "I couldn't track him."

"Really? You couldn't track him? Not even with all those powers cooped up inside of you?"

"I know. Strange, isn't it? So where's Piper? Upstairs?" Without waiting for an answer, Leo headed upstairs before they could stop him. Buffy and Phoebe, who kept a hold of Alex, followed Leo. He turned the corner into Piper's room and the smile on his face vanished. The bedroom was a mess. The furniture was destroyed and demonic scorchmarks were evidenced on everything. He saw the broken crib in the nursery and rushed to the room. He looked around the room and didn't see Piper or Chris. Paige was doing her best to clean what she could. "What happened here?"

"You're not gonna like it." Paige said.

Leo looked at Buffy, knowing she would tell him. "Barbas happened here, Leo. He tried to kidnap Chris."

"What!" Leo cried.

"This is why Piper didn't want us to tell you." Paige said.

"I'm gonna kill him. I'm gonna rip the world apart until I find Barbas."

"Yeah. That's what we're worried about." Phoebe said. "Leo, you have to calm down until we know all the facts."

"What facts? He went after one of my sons again."

"He didn't get him." Buffy said, taking Alex from Phoebe.

"Doesn't matter."

Suddenly, Sheridan stepped into the bedroom, her gun pointed at them. "Police! Freeze! Hands in the air!" Both Paige and Phoebe raised their hands in surrender. Buffy turned and glared at the other woman. Leo looked at Sheridan for a beat, then swung his arms around sending a powerful magical force at her throwing her up head first into the far wall. She fell to the floor, out cold.

Darryl glared at Leo as he walked over to help Sheridan. "What the hell is wrong with you? Are you out of your mind?" With bolts of lightning, Leo disappeared from the bedroom.

"Ohh…. Yeah, I think he is." Paige said.

Piper rushed into the room. "Shh! I just got the baby to sleep." She looked around and saw Darryl with Sheridan on the floor in front of him. "What happened? Where's Leo?" Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe exchanged worried glances.

It was Alex who broke it. "E-o bye bye!"

Mrs. Winterbourne led Buffy out of the nursery in Magic School and headed for the Great Hall. She was carrying Alex and talking about how much progress she'd made in the last couple of months. Piper was sitting on the floor meditating.

"I'll just take her to play with Wyatt and the others." Mrs. Winterbourne said.

"Thanks." Buffy walked over to Piper. "Did you find Leo?"

"Where's Chris?" Piper asked.

"He's with Wyatt in the nursery."

Paige walked in. "So? What's going…. Leo!"

Buffy and Piper turned to look where Paige's gaze was. Leo was sitting on the floor in a corner. He was curled in a ball, silent and dazed and in a state that they'd never seen him in before.

"Did you find the spell to fix us?" Piper asked Paige.

"Yeah, but…." Paige started.

"Cast it."

Paige walked over to the desk and opened a large book. "We call upon the mortal ways and gods who guide but may not stay. We seek those of divinity to separate from and set them free." Piper's extra four arms glowed golden and disappeared completely. The golden lights rose up out of her and Leo. It rose up into the air and vanished through the ceiling.

"Are you all right?" Piper asked Leo. He silently shook his head.

"Piper." Paige said.

Piper didn't turn around. "Go get Phoebe and then go get Barbas."

"We still don't know how to find him."

"I wounded him. You should be able to scry with his blood."

Paige and Buffy orbed out of the Great Hall and into the attic. Buffy headed downstairs to Piper's room where a paramedic was tending to Sheridan. "What's going on?" Buffy asked.

"Uh. Nothing. I think we have everything under control here. What's up?" Phoebe asked, following Buffy away from the mortals' earshot.

"We've got some work to do. Paige is getting the potion vials now."

"What's going on?"

"We're going after Barbas."

Barbas stood in the center of healer's the cave shouting upwards. "Hey! Why don't you come on down? Show yourself. All I want to do is thank you. It was a very good plan. I mean, it worked perfectly. So, uh…. How about we go after the witches and that Slayer now?"

"Works for us." Paige said.

Barbas turned around and found Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe in front of him. "Well, well, well, well, well. What do you know? It really is true. Just ask and ye shall receive. Of course this lair was supposed to be cloaked."

"Yeah. You should probably ask your invisible friend about that." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, well, maybe I will." Barbas spotted the potion vial in Paige's hand. "Oh, come to vanquish me, I see. What? Again?"

"I just have one little question first." Buffy said. "Why the baby? What does that even get you?"

"Ah, the baby. That…. that just gets me to you without the bodyguard. By the way, how is old Leo, anyway? Suffering nicely, I hope." Paige took a step forward to throw the vial, but Barbas raised his right hand, which glowed brightly. "Ah, ah, ah, ah. I think we should check your fears first. How charming. Your greatest fear is that your nephews won't be safe. From me. How touching. Of course, such a great fear paralyzes you. Can't believe you forgot about that."

"Oh, we didn't forget." Paige threw the vial at Barbas' feet. The glass bottle broke and the potion started to work as a low whirlwind of flames lit up under him.

"We just knew our greatest desire would overcome our greatest fear." Phoebe said.

"And our greatest desire is to protect our nephews and my daughter from you." Buffy said.

Barbas was rendered immobile as the whirlwind of fire rose up around him, trapping him within its confines. "Ah, you know I'll be back. Fear always comes back!" The whirlwind rose higher and higher as it became more powerful, overwhelming him. "You set me up!" Finally, the whirlwind covered him completely and snapped shut. Barbas exploded and demon dust fell lightly to the cave floor.

"I never get tired of seeing that." Phoebe said.

"I wonder who he was talking to." Paige said.

"I don't know, and I don't want to know." Buffy said.

Paige walked into the kitchen the next morning. "Oh, my god. I'm so tired. I didn't sleep at all last night, and it's not even because of Barbas." She walked past Piper and Buffy who were both dressed to go walking. The two strollers with the kids were nearby. Piper was putting the bag together while Buffy put together some bottles. Angel was standing in the corner sipping at a mug of coffee. After they'd vanquished Barbas, Paige had gone up to get Angel from LA.

"Pray tell." Piper said.

Paige grabbed the coffee pot and poured herself a cup. "It's the whole magic school thing, you know? It's gotten me really depressed. I don't know why the Elders are just shutting it down."

"Well, they can do whatever they want." Buffy said. "That's why they're them."

Paige got the milk out from the fridge. "Yeah, well, it's not fair."

"Well, who's gonna stop them?"

"I am."

Piper and Buffy looked at Paige. "What?"

"Yeah. I mean, magic's the best thing that has ever happened to me, right? I mean, other than you guys. No offense, but you guys did kind of happen to me at the same time that magic happened to me. So if you really actually count it…."

"Rambling." Angel said with a smile.

"Right. Look, aside from Gideon, the school is a great thing, right? And I think I'm gonna do it. I'm gonna get back to my magical roots."

"I think that's a good idea." Piper said. "Um, any idea how you're gonna do it?"

"Not a clue." Paige looked at Piper and finally realized where Piper was going. "Oh, my goodness. Are you going outside with them?"

"Yes, I am. Now may I go, or do you want to tease me some more about it?"

"Oh, I'd really like to tease you some more, but I will wait until you get back. What changed?"

"Well, sharing a body with the ultimate mother, um, I got a few tips."

"Like what?"

"Like I can't protect them from everything or I'll probably end up making them neurotic."

"Lord knows we don't need any more of those around here." Buffy said.

"No. So we're just gonna have to go out and brave the big, bad world."

"What about Leo? Is he gonna join?" Paige asked.

"No. He's still, um, dealing with some stuff." Piper turned and she and Buffy headed out of the kitchen with the stroller.


	52. Chapter 52

Chapter 52

Phoebe turned the Bay Mirror paper around and showed it to Buffy, who sat across from her at the small café table. She was sitting with Alex on one knee and Wyatt on the other. He'd been restless in the stroller, but Piper was breast-feeding Chris with a baby blanket thrown over her shoulder to cover her.

"That's not me." Phoebe said.

Buffy had to look over the two kids' heads. "It sure looks like you."

"No, I mean, the picture's me, it's just the column is not me. I knew a man couldn't give advice like a woman. Men are all about, you know, like fixing the problem."

"Isn't that what advice columnists are supposed to do?" Piper asked, checking on Chris under the blanket.

"No. I mean, yes, but, you know, first, you're supposed to listen. "Then you're supposed to validate feelings. At least that's what a woman would do. But not a man. They go straight to fixing it. I mean this 'Glass Ceiling in Sausalito,' Leslie tells this woman step by step how to deal with her boss." Piper picked up the paper and looked at the article. "There are no feelings in there, no emotions. I mean, my readers are gonna read that, and they're gonna know that I did not write it. This is a nightmare."

"Honestly, it's real subtle. They might not notice."

"Even the letters that he picks, they're all fix-it letters, you know? And I left him three messages about this yesterday. He did not call me back."

"I thought the whole point of this little vacation was for you to relax and recharge." Buffy said.

"Yeah. I know…. but it's still my column. You know, I still care about it."

"Any big change takes some adjusting. So for a while, you're just gonna feel a little lost."

"See? You just validated my feelings."

"Phoebe, you need to stop obsessing. Unless, of course, you know, you're obsessing cause, um, you like him."

"No, I don't like him. He's like…. eww."

Buffy chuckled, knowing her cousin too well. "Well, then forget about it and find something else to obsess about."

"Yeah, I know. You're right. I have to find a way to channel my energy, find something to be passionate about, you know?" As Phoebe talked, Piper passingly noticed the couple sitting at a table nearby talking with the manager of the small café. "Paige with magic school. You saving Leo."

"I'm not saving him." Piper said. "I'm just…. hoping that by spending some time with the boys that he'll feel loved and needed and realize that life isn't all that bad."

The manager walked up to their table. "Excuse me, ladies, but I'm afraid you're gonna have to take that someplace else."

"Take what?"

"You know…. that." He indicated Piper and the blanket over her shoulder covering Chris.

"It's called breast-feeding." Phoebe said.

"Customers were complaining."

"Wha…. what?" Phoebe turned around to the table behind him. The man and the woman sitting at the table looked back and shook their heads.

"All right. Let's go. I gotta go anyway." Piper said.

"No. Piper, you are not going anywhere. You've done nothing wrong. You…. you can't do this."

"Actually, yeah, I can." The manager pointed to the sign in the window: MANAGEMENT HAS THE RIGHT TO REFUSE SERVICE TO ANYONE. "Sorry."

"It's no big deal. Let's go." Piper said.

Phoebe started sputtering. "That's horrible. You…."

"We're going." Not wanting to argue about it any further, Piper stood up to leave.

The front door of the Manor opened just as Angel was walking into the living room with a book in his hands. Phoebe was still disgruntled about their treatment at the sidewalk café and grumbled as she held the door open for Piper Buffy and the strollerd they were pushing into the house.

"Piper, I can't believe, you, of all people, are against this. We have to do something." Phoebe said.

"Shh. You are not writing a letter to 'Ask Phoebe' about my breast. Leo?"

"He's not here." Angel said.

"You're one of the two that said I needed a cause." Phoebe said.

"Shh! Yeah, so you could keep your mind off of the column, not write a letter to it."

"How am I supposed to keep my mind off of the column when he's about to blow my cover, maybe even my career?"

"Ok. Like Buffy said, you're obsessing. Leo? You're late."

"Well, I don't know what you're worried about. It's not like he's gonna pick the letter anyway. It's way too feminine."

"I'm worried because somehow I know you're gonna find a way to make him pick it."

"So what? Then we hit two Neanderthals with one stone. I cannot believe you're not supporting me on this."

"What is there to support? Phoebe, it's already a law."

"So let's sue the manager."

Angel followed them into the kitchen, shooting confused glances at Buffy. Piper opened the refrigerator and grabbed sandwich ingredients as she said, "I don't have time to sue the manager. I have other things to worry about, like work."

"Yeah, I'm on sabbatical. I don't have to worry about that. I'm lost."

"For crying out loud, Leo!" Paige orbed into the kitchen with a naked woman in a teacher's black robe. "That's not Leo."

"Hey, guys. Book still upstairs?" Paige asked cheerily.

"Wait a minute." Phoebe said.

"Hold it." Piper said.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

"Well, uh…. this is Godiva." Paige said. "Um…. say hello."

"Godiva?" Piper asked.

Paige nodded. "As in, um…. Lady Godiva…. uh, in the flesh, so to speak."

"Are they witches, too?" Lady Godiva whispered to Paige.

"Yeah. Well, Buffy isn't. She's a Slayer. See, the meeting kind of went long, got a little boring, and the kids, they grew restless, and…."

"So they conjured a sex object?" Phoebe asked.

"I am no sex object." Lady Godive said. "I was riding through town in my natural state to protest my husband's unjust taxes." The toaster popped the toast up and Lady Godiva gasped. Her attention was focused now on the toaster on the counter.

"Uh, wait. Riding?" Angel asked. "As in plucked out in the middle of? Paige, she has to finish that ride, or else it could change…."

"Yeah, history as we know it." Paige said. "I got it, but even worse, if I don't send her back soon, I'm pretty sure The Elders are gonna shut down Magic School."

"I don't think that's worse than changing the course of history." Piper said. The blender whirled and Lady Godiva squealed at the sudden sound. Piper intervened, shutting it off. "Aah! Uh…. ok. Ok. Ok. On the other hand, how much history could a naked lady on horseback really affect?"

"Excuse me. My ride is important." Lady Godiva protested.

"Ok."

"Even so, we need to find a spell to send you back, so come on." Paige took Lady Godiva and led her out of the kitchen. As soon as they ware gone, Piper turned to Phoebe.

"See what I mean? We have bigger naked breasts to worry about."

"Paige has her naked breasts to worry about, I've got yours." Phoebe turned and left the kitchen.

Piper closed her eyes, hung her head and groaned one more time. "Leo!"

"Piper, I'm not planning on going anywhere anytime soon. I'll watch the kids." Buffy said.

"No, it's not that. Leo needs to be here for his family and he can't do that when he's off…. Doing whatever he does."

Buffy nodded. "So, go tell him that."

"How?"

"Wyatt. He'll orb you to Leo."

Piper sighed. "You're right. Ok, I'll get Leo to come up here with the kids and he can orb Angel to the club. Buffy, you just…. Keep an eye on him."

Buffy nodded. "I'll watch him like a sneaky hawk."

Piper chuckled and walked out to get changed for work.

Piper dabbed antiseptic on Paige's wound as they sat in the living room. Paige had been attacked at Magic School by an Elder after the place had gone crazy.

"Oh, it's ok." Paige said. "It's just a graze."

"I still can't believe an Elder attacked you." Buffy said.

"I know. They're supposed to be pacifists, right?" Phoebe chuckled.

"Have you seen Leo lately?" Piper asked. "Speaking of which…. Leo?"

"He's a little mad at me, and I can't say I blame him." Paige said. "I did kind of mess things up."

"Well, that doesn't explain why he tried to kill you." Buffy said.

"I think the demon did something to that Elder, got him to free up his repressed anger somehow."

"Or probably wasn't breast-fed as a child." Phoebe said.

"Phoebe!" Piper cried.

"What?"

"Well, either way." Paige said. "We wouldn't even be in this situation. This demon wouldn't even be here if I hadn't have had the great stroke of genius to try save the school."

"So why do you think he tried to kill her?" Buffy asked.

"Maybe he knew what I didn't know, which is that since they came together, they have to leave together."

"Yeah, but why wouldn't he want to go back?" Phoebe asked.

Standing in front of them, Lady Godiva took her robe off and cried, "If you would just listen to me!"

"Oh! Wow! A lot…. Too much…." The four women cried.

"It is apparently, still, the only way I can get anybody to listen to me."

"Woman, keep your clothes on. This is a family show. Really." Piper said.

Lady Godiva put her robe back on. "I know that man, or demon, as you call him. It's Lord Dyson."

"The Land Baron?" Paige asked.

"Except in my time, he was different, smaller, weaker."

"Ok. So how did he get stronger?" Buffy asked.

The doorbell rang and Lady Godiva jumped at the sound. Phoebe jumped down from her seat and rushed to the window to see who it was as Paige said, "It's ok. Doorbell. Newfangled contraption."

"Oh, my god. Oh, my god." Phoebe said. "It's Leslie."

"Don't answer it." Buffy said.

"What if it's about my letter?"

"Forget the stupid letter." Piper said.

"What, can everyone have a cause but me?"

"Yes!"

Phoebe headed for the door and Piper motioned for everyone to leave. "Uh! Upstairs. Upstairs!"

Paige looked through the Book of Shadows as Buffy and Piper sat on the couch. Lady Godiva sat between the two. "Would it be cheating too much if I peeked ahead to see what becomes of me?" She asked.

"Well, seeing as you're probably not going to remember any of this, I don't see why not." Piper showed Lady Godiva the book about herself.

Paige sighed and glared at the Book. "The closest thing I can find is a demon who feeds off anger, but you already got him." She reached out and closed the Book and suddenly remembered her injured arm. "Ow! Remember when Leo used to come when you called him?"

"It says here your Lord Dyson mysteriously disappeared the day you rode through town." Buffy said, looking at the book Lady Godiva was reading. "Well, I doubt that's just a coincidence."

"And the tax was repealed, which means I accomplished my goal." Lady Godiva said proudly.

"No offense, Lady, but, um…." Piper smiled slightly. "You drop your trousers, liberation for all, and suddenly, your demon vanishes off the face of the earth for all of eternity. Isn't that a little far-fetched?"

"No." Paige said. "Not if the demon feeds off of oppressions. Maybe that's how he gains his strength." She re-opened the Book of Shadows.

"Well, then that would make the reverse true, as well." Buffy said. "Your ride starved him into oblivion."

Leo orbed into the attic with Wyatt and Chris. "Please tell me you weren't vanquishing demons with the children." Piper said.

"Chris was fussy. It calmed him." Leo said as he put Chris' bassinet and Wyatt down on the floor.

"Ha ha! Really?"

"Lex! Lex!" Wyatt said.

"She's in you guys' room." Buffy said Wyatt. He orbed out to go play with Alex in their room.

Leo looked up and noticed Lady Godiva. "Is that Lady…."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. A little healing. A little healing." Piper motioned to Paige and Leo headed over to start healing her arm. "And then we need you to find out what they know about some sort of Repressor Demon."

Leo stopped and stared at Piper. "You want me to go up there?"

"Don't worry. I'll get the elfin nanny to watch the kids."

"It's not what I was worried about."

"Uh, hello? Heal. Ouch. Hurt." Paige tugged on Leo's sleeve and motioned to her wounded arm. "Focus." Leo sighed and continued to heal Paige's arm.

"I think it wouldn't hurt to have a little chat with The Elders to see what they think about the demon." Piper said.

"But what if they know about…." Leo trailed off.

"I think if they knew, we would know by now."

"Are they talking about Lord Dyson?" Lady Godiva asked.

"No, they're talking about something that Leo did that they don't want me to know about." Paige said.

"Or me." Buffy said.

"Just go." Piper said. Leo orbed out. "Let's find out what we can about this Repressor Demon before it starts to feed off our repressions. Shall we?"


	53. Chapter 53

Chapter 53

Piper, Buffy, and Paige walked through the very empty Great Hall in Magic School. "I can't believe how empty this place is without students." Buffy said.

"Yeah, well, I'm hoping you'll find a way to save it after all this." Piper said to Paige. "Especially for your niece and nephew's sake."

"Thanks. No pressure." Paige said.

"Nope." They stepped into Gideon's old office. Phoebe was already inside lighting a circle of candles. Lady Godiva was sitting on her horse naked and waiting. "Ready to summon?"

"Yep. All ready to go." Phoebe said.

"I still think we should wait for Leo and find out what he knows about the demon." Paige said.

"No, it doesn't matter. After we send them back, history will take care of them as long as you finish your ride." Piper said.

"Promise." Lady Godiva said. "And thank you…. for giving me a glimpse of what's to come."

"Thank you for showing us you're more than a box of chocolates." Buffy said.

"I'm sorry?"

"Never mind."

"Ok." Phoebe said. "Here we go."

Piper took out the spell and read, "We look to find the evil set free, bring this demon before us three."

Lord Dyson appeared in the room in front of Buffy. "Hi, there!" She said. Lord Dyson looked up and Buffy kicked him into Piper's past. She blasted him and hit him square in the chest, but it merely pushed him backward into the chair behind him. "Uh, why didn't he explode?"

"Chanting, chanting." Piper said.

Paige, who now had a piece of paper, struggled to read the writing on it. "Ok, ok, ok. From lands afar in time and space, take them now from this our place. Two that dwell so must remain, send them back to their domain." Lord Dyson broke up into black orbs and Lady Godiva broke up into golden orbs. Both sets of orbs rose up and headed straight back into the History Book open on the table. "It worked!" A wind blew the candles out and cast the room into darkness. "Uh-oh. That's not good."

Piper lit a candle. "Well, at least they're gone."

"Great." Phoebe said. "Will you guys drop me off at the office on your orb home?"

"I thought you weren't looking over Leslie's shoulders anymore." Buffy said.

"Well, I'm not, but first I have to get him to pick my letter."

"Orbing." Piper said.

Paige orbed them out of Magic School and to the hallway outside the Bay Mirror's main doors. "Ok, thanks. Meet you guys at home." Phoebe pushed the doors open and stopped when she saw the bullpen. The women inside were dressed in charcoal grey or black long sleeved jackets and long, ankle-length skirts. Their shoes were plain and black and all of them had their hair tied back with a kerchief. "Looks like everyone took Elise's sexual harassment memo literally."

"Phoebe?" Leslie said from the office. "What are you doing here? What are you wearing? Who's watching our children? Why aren't you at home with them?"

"Excuse me?"

Buffy reached for Phoebe and pulled her back out into the hallway. "Come on."

Phoebe closed the main doors. "Ok. What the hell is going on?"

Piper stared at the poster up on the wall. "I think I know." The poster read: ASK LESLIE: He'll Tell You How To Handle Your Woman.

"Oh, I told you we should've waited for Leo." Paige said.

"Shut up!"

"Come on." Buffy said, leading the way out. The scenery outside wasn't much better. Everything was cast in a slightly gray-ish color-less tinge. "Oh my."

"It's not so bad if you like gray." Phoebe said.

"I don't understand how everything changed so much." Piper said.

"We sent the demon back stronger than when he came, strong enough to kill Lady Godiva." Buffy said.

"Still," Phoebe shook her head. "It's hard to believe her ride affected just everything. Look at this."

"Apparently it had an impact on us women, because it sent us back, like, a thousand years or so." Piper said.

"We have to fix this." Phoebe said.

"Oh, no! I left the kids with the Elfin Nanny before…."

"That's ok. They're boys. They're probably being treated like royalty right now." Phoebe gasped. "Oh my god, Alex!"

Buffy shook her head sadly. "I'll bet you she doesn't exist here."

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Angel was changed by a woman. If this is the world since Lady Godiva, there's no way Darla would've existed as a vampire to change Angel, so I'm betting he doesn't exist here."

Paige nodded. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok as long as we're not stuck here."

"Hey, why didn't we change?" Phoebe asked.

"Probably because we were at magic school and protected?" Paige suggested. Suddenly, they noticed that they were sticking out like sore thumbs. Across the street, a group of men stared at them as did a group of women and children off to the side.

"Ok, guys," Buffy said. "I think we're attracting a little too much attention out here. What say we orb back to the Book of Shadows?"

"No, I don't want to go back home." Phoebe said.

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Did you hear what Leslie said?"

"Well, we can't stay out here. We're attracting too much attention." Buffy said.

"Yeah, and we wouldn't want to be flogged." Piper said, staring at a sign. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige walked over to the large public sign that read: POSTED WOMEN WHO TALK IN PUBLIC WILL BE FLOGGED. "So much for your breast-feeding campaign."

"Cute." Phoebe said.

Behind them, horse hoofs sounded on concrete. "Hey!" The four of them turned around and saw a police officer on horseback approaching them.

The barred door slammed shut in Piper's face with a loud clang. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige flinched at the sound. The guard turned and left saying, "Every peep out of you adds an extra flogging to your sentence."

"What is flogging exactly?" Phoebe asked as she sat down on the bench against the wall.

"I don't know, but how about we orb out of here so we don't have to find out?" Paige said, sitting down next to Phoebe.

"Where are we gonna go?" Buffy asked. "We still have to fix this somehow."

"That's two extra floggings each!" The guard yelled from outside.

"Ok." Piper whispered. "Look, we need to figure out something, 'cause I need to feed someone soon."

"What if Lady Godiva's still alive?" Paige asked.

"Oh, Paige, I know you're upset." Phoebe said. "We all are, but we can't bring her back to life."

"No, no, no. Why can't we conjure her? That way, she'd still be alive and her ride would still be ahead of her."

"I don't know how that's gonna get us back to our world." Piper said.

"Well, maybe it will if she can finish her ride."

"We'd have to vanquish the demon first this time." Buffy said.

"We can do that." Paige said. "We just have to get out of here."

"Leo!" Piper whisper-yelled.

"Oh, what if he's different in this world, too?" Phoebe asked.

"That's a mighty fine question. Leo!"

Leo orbed into the jail cell wearing a suit and tie like all the other men. "What are you guys doing here? What are you wearing?"

"Uh, look, we're kinda in a hurry, so Cliff Notes version, demon killed Lady Godiva, we changed history, we gotta fix it, so are you with me or what?"

"Lady Godiva?"

"Yeah, she probably doesn't mean much to you, but apparently she means a lot to us." Phoebe said.

"Duncan." Paige blurted. "We're going to need Duncan to conjure her. Leo, can you take me to Magic School?"

"Mag…. Magic School has been shut for years." Leo said. "Everyone's in hiding here, even demons. No one dare uses magic."

"Talk about repressed." Buffy said.

"Oh, well, magic still exists, which means this kid Duncan has to be somewhere, right?" Paige said.

"So, Piper, Phoebe and I will go to Magic School and find Lady Godiva in the history books, and Paige and Leo can go find Duncan."

"Good plan." Phoebe said.

"Thanks. So Leo, you take Paige to Duncan and then hurry back and take us to Magic School."

Leo lit the candles in the Great Hall. Buffy looked around at the dusty hall and saw cobwebs hanging from the candle stands. Phoebe leafed through the History Book on the table. "No Joan of Arc, no Catherine the Great, none of them are in here." Phoebe said.

"Keep looking." Piper said.

"It's pretty amazing that this world is so much more repressed and yet Leo seems freer."

"Yeah, I almost forgot what he was like."

Paige orbed into the Great Hall. "Ok. I got the spell. Did you find Godiva?"

"Yep, right here, but talk about your fine print." Phoebe said.

"It doesn't matter as long as she's in there."

"So, wait, I don't understand." Leo said. "If you return her back to just before she was killed, history will reverse itself?"

"I warned you about the headache thing, right? Ok. So as soon as we get them here, you blast Dyson, then we send her back right away."

"I thought we had to send them back together." Buffy said.

"I'm hoping no, not if Dyson doesn't exist anymore."

"But first we gotta to make sure we're ok." Piper said. "There's no buried resentments that a hungry demon could feed off of? Phoebe?"

"No, I'm fine. As long as Leslie's not in the room, I'm fine. You?"

"No, I'm good. I pretty much tell you guys when I'm pissed off."

"That's a good point." Buffy said.

"How about you?"

"Nope. I'm good. Paige?"

"Sometimes I feel repressed being the little sister."

"What, you wanted to be the oldest sister?" Piper said. "Come on, now. Get over it."

"Besides, you're not the youngest here. If anybody has littlest sister issues, it's me."

"Do you?"

"Nope."

"Ok, I'm over it." Paige said. She opened the piece of paper and read, "Where royals once lived, so did she, bring forth a naked lady from the eleventh century."

They all turned to look at the illustration in the History Book. Golden orbs and Black orbs rose out from the page. Lady Godiva and her horse appeared in the Great Hall as did Lord Dyson. With their appearance, the Great Hall changed to the state it was before they sent Lady Godiva back to History. Golden light started at the center of the Great Hall and worked its way outward, casting the entire hall and the entire world in light and color. As it passed over Leo, he also changed back into his scruffy jacket and shirt.

"That's more like it." Buffy said as Paige rushed over to Lady Godiva with a robe to cover her.

"Paige?" Godiva asked. "I thought you were sending me back?"

"Change of plans."

"Perhaps I need a little more power." Lord Dyson raised his hand and looked at Paige as he searched for repressed feelings. He didn't find any there, so he turned to Phoebe.

"Nice try." Phoebe said.

Dyson moved to Buffy, but she had nothing for him, so he moved over to Piper and hit the jackpot. His hand glowed red as he sucked out all of Piper's repressed feelings and resentment toward Leo. "Piper?" Buffy said.

"So much bottled up anger." Dyson said.

Piper turned and looked at him at Leo. "You know what? Enough with your moping. The Elders screwed you? What about me?"

"Piper, what are you doing?"

"I am not gonna raise two little boys all on my own because you're too busy feeling sorry for yourself! All right? So get over it! Seriously!"

Lord Dyson turned and looked at Lady Godiva. "Now, where was I?" He powered up an energy ball and hurled it at Lady Godiva. Paige held out her hand and sent the energy ball back at Lord Dyson. The energy ball hit him square in the chest. He staggered backward from the impact, but didn't explode.

"That's not good." Paige said.

Piper was blasting Leo into orbs and he continuously orbed back into the room. "Piper, enough!" She ignored him and continued to blast him.

Buffy grabbed Paige. "You get Piper. I'll get him." Paige rushed to Piper and Buffy ran over to Lord Dyson and kicked him in the neck. He staggered backward against the door and Buffy grabbed his coat, hauled him up, and slammed him to the floor.

Paige grabbed Piper's wrist and forced Piper to look at her. "Piper, snap out of it! It's the demon doing this to you, not Leo." Piper looked from Leo to Lord Dyson. Lord Dyson glared at Buffy as he powered up an energy ball. Piper turned to blast him, but Dyson shimmered out of the Great Hall.

"Piper." Buffy and Phoebe turned to look at her. Piper put her hands down and grimaced.


	54. Chapter 54

Chapter 54

Piper walked out of the kitchen, through the dining room and into the sitting room carrying a glass of water. Phoebe and Paige followed behind her. Buffy, holding Alex, and Angel walked down the stairs. As soon as they'd orbed to the Manor, Buffy had run to find Angel.

"How am I supposed to know I was so repressed?" Piper asked.

"You couldn't tell?" Paige asked.

"I'm a working single mother of two kids. I barely have time to brush my teeth, let alone self-reflection."

"Well, maybe you should make time." Phoebe said.

Piper handed the glass of water to Lady Godiva. Leo sat next to her on the couch. "Nothing that needed healing." He said. "She's just a little shaken up."

"I'll bet she is." Buffy said.

"Well, guys, we better come up with a plan because Lord Dyson is out there getting stronger as we speak." Paige said.

"Thanks to Piper." Phoebe said.

"All right!" Piper cried.

"Look, all we're saying is that when he comes back…." Paige said.

"And he will." Buffy added.

"He might be too strong to stop, especially if he taps into Leo's repressed rage."

"I'm not going to be able to finish my ride, am I?" Godiva asked sadly.

"No, you're not." Dyson said. They all turned as he powered up an energy ball in his hand. Leo pulled Lady Godiva off the couch just as Lord Dyson threw the energy ball at her. It missed them and smashed the couch into pieces. Piper raised her hands and blasted him. He staggered backward into the dining room table, but didn't explode. Lord Dyson easily got to his feet and laughed.

"Orb her out of here." Piper said.

"No. She won't stand a chance." Paige said. "He'll feed off Leo."

Lord Dyson walked through the Conservatory, brushing his robes. Everyone turned around and looked at him. Buffy was at the top of the stairs guarding Alex. Dyson powered up an energy ball and threw it at Piper. Piper held out her hands and blasted it mid-air, sending the energy rippling back at Lord Dyson. He staggered backward from the impact of the moving energy.

"Just get her out of here. We'll think of something." Piper said. Paige orbed Lady Godiva out as Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe ran up the stairs.

"'We'll think of something?'" Buffy said. "That's the best you can do?"

Lord Dyson turned and saw Leo running up the stairs. He powered up and threw an energy ball at Leo. The stair railing exploded on impact and Leo fell to the ground, but he wasn't hurt. Leo got up and threw a stream of electricity at Dyson, first with his right hand, then with his left. Lord Dyson dodged both throws and Leo headed up the stairs.

"I'm officially open to other ideas." Piper said.

"Maybe we should let him get to Leo." Angel said. "Maybe he'll overdose."

"Or become unstoppable."

"He already is that." Buffy said.

Leo reached the second floor hallway and ran toward them. "Ok. I'm orbing you guys outta here."

"No. Actually you're going to let him feed on you. See ya!" Piper turned and headed for Buffy and Angel's bedroom where the two were with Alex.

"Good luck, man." Phoebe said, ducking in the room with the others.

"What?" Leo cried. He turned around and saw Lord Dyson reach the second floor hallway.

"Let's see what you've been hiding from me." Dyson said. "Ohh, so much, so ready to come out. Well, let it out. Let it all out." Lord Dyson's hand glowed as he attempted to suck out all of Leo's rage, anger and frustration. Unlike the others, the transfer wasn't quick and easy. It went on and on and on. Leo glared at the object of his frustration and let his anger out at the Demon.

"You demons have it so easy." Leo's rage continued to flow out of him toward Lord Dyson's hand. "No morality to worry about…. no attachments. No one to lose."

"Yeah, you tell him, Leo!" Piper called.

"When you kill, you feel nothing!" Leo shouted the last word and Lord Dyson overloaded on Leo's anger and finally exploded. The explosion was huge and Piper quickly shut the bedroom door. Leo covered his face from the bits of wood from furniture that didn't survive the explosion. The bedroom door opened and Piper and Phoebe stepped outside into the hallway with Buffy, Angel, and Alex behind them.

"How you doin'?" Piper asked. "Feels good to get rid of all that stuff, huh?"

Paige and Lady Godiva stepped into the hallway. "Ahh, you did it. You vanquished him." Paige said.

"Thanks to Leo." Buffy said.

"Oh, finally, I'm free!" Lady Godiva took her robe off. No one really flinched from her nakedness anymore, but Buffy did reach up and cover Angel's eyes.

Piper smiled and nodded. "Yes, you are." She reached up and covered Leo's eyes with her hand as well, turning his head away from Lady Godiva's nakedness and affectionately taps his cheek to keep his gaze averted.

Piper and Buffy walked across the street and headed for the Sidewalk Café. They stopped next to Paige who was standing at the edge of the sidewalk near the street. "Hey, this better be good. We were just in the middle of putting Wyatt and Alex down for a nap." Piper said.

Paige pulled Piper and turned her to face outward toward the street. "Yeah. It looks like Lady Godiva has quite an impact on our Phoebe's cause."

"Oh, my goodness!"

Phoebe was riding naked on a horse with a long blonde wig covering her. She made her way slowly toward the sidewalk café and stopped in front of it. The manager of the café stepped out of the building and Phoebe pointed to him. "This man is still living in the eleventh century! He wants women to be barefoot and pregnant and stay at home." The crowd booed the manager. The manager turned to leave, but the crowd wouldn't part to let him go. "He thinks we should be ashamed of breast-feeding, the most natural thing in the world. Well, shame on him! I'm not ashamed and neither should you be. And it's a shame that women have to take off their clothes to be heard. We shouldn't have to be exploited like this. Right?"

The crowd cheered their approval and agreement. Cornered, the manager pushed through them. "Ok, ok. Excuse me. Excuse me." He took the sign down from his window and held it out in front of him. "There! Are you satisfied now?" The crowd cheered as the manager headed into the building.

Phoebe turned her horse around and headed back down the street. The crowd applauded and Paige patted Piper's shoulder sympathetically. Piper gave in and applauded as well.

A stone statue stood in a round chamber, lit by fires in the alcoves along the wall. The ceiling was supported by a circle of pillars. Two bowls holding more flames were set up around the statue, forming an equal triangle inside the circle of pillars. A demon walked in and stopped in front of the statue.

"The weight of time is heavy on the world. And all men born must die. But there are worlds unknown, where dreamers dream and sleepers sleep, and patiently await. As pledged in Caladan by Cod-she," Sahjhan stepped back and threw some powder at the statue. "One shall awaken in the first year of the final century. That one, who lived before and joined Cod-she in the great sleep. Arise, as was promised and foretold. Arise. Arise!"

Nothing happened. Sahjhan turned away and walked over to one of the fires and lit himself a cigarette. He turned back to watch the statue, puffing and checking his watch. Suddenly the room began to shake and blue lighting flashed. The eyes of the statue suddenly turned into two open, human looking eyes. The statue cracked then crumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust.

Sahjhan put out his cigarette and walked over to the figure huddled in the middle of what was left of the statue. "Welcome to the twenty first century. Angelus is here. You'll see him soon. You haven't used your muscles in a very long time. It will be a while before you're strong enough to…."

The figure suddenly straightened up. "Just tell me where he is."

"I got it!" Buffy called, picking up the kitchen phone. It had been three days since Godiva had been returned to her time to finish her ride. Things had really calmed down, much to the joy of the two mothers in the house. "Hello?"

"Buffy?"

"Giles! How are you?"

"Oh, I'm…. Well, I've been better."

"What's wrong?"

"I've…. Discovered something."

"Ok."

"The Nyazian Prohecies."

"Giles, that means didley squat to me, Giles."

"Well, I was looking through these scrolls the Council owns and I came across the Nyazian scrolls. I can't believe no one's looked at these lately. I did the math and it's a relatively simple equation. The ancient Roman calendar has fourteen hundred and sixty-four days in a four-year cycle. The Etruscan, Sumerian, and Druidian each have their own cycles. You work forward from the presumed day of the prophecy under each calendar, factoring in our own three hundred and sixty-five day calendar and accounting for a three day discrepancy for every four years and…."

"Giles!"

"Sorry. Well, my math was off."

"By how much?"

"According to my calculations, the events should've taken place last February."

"And you're just finding this out now?"

"I don't think my calculations were correct, though. I had Willow double check them and she thinks it's this February."

"Ok, so what were the events?"

Piper walked into the kitchen with Alex and Wyatt. "What events?"

Buffy waved her hand as Giles said, "It's not clear on that. It predicts the arrival or arising of the Tro-clan, the person or being that brings about the ruination of mankind. Brought from darkness to bring darkness."

"Ok?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not sure on the translation. Ruination may in fact mean purification."

"Purification? So this Tro-clan is a good thing?"

"I doubt it. It's purification in Aramaic, ruination in ancient Greek, and in the lost Ga-shundi language it means both."

"So, you just pick one?"

"Inevitably."

"Wait, you and Willow both said February?"

"Yes."

"February what?"

"You're not going to like it."

"February what?"

"February 2nd."

"That's Alex's birthday."

"That was precisely my thinking. There are a few Nyazian phrases related specifically to the thing being born that I haven't been able to complete."

"Wait, are you saying my daughter is a part of this prophecy?"

"I don't know."

"That's not good enough."

"Buffy, what's going on?" Piper asked.

"Do I need to come up there again?" Buffy asked.

"I think it would be better if we were to come down there." Giles said.

Buffy sighed. "I'll get Paige to come get you." She hung up and looked at Piper.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

"Giles found a prophecy and he thinks Alex is part of it."

"What kind of prophecy?"

"A not good one." Buffy sighed and picked up the phone again.

"Who are you calling?"

"Angel. He needs to be here for this."

"Where did he go?"

"He's patrolling."

"It's his turn tonight?"

"Yup." Buffy sighed and hung up when Angel's phone went straight to voicemail. "He's got it turned off again. I swear, that man and technology. Leo! Would you mind getting Paige to head up to Sunnydale and get Giles and the others?"

"Sure." Piper said.

Buffy took Alex and Wyatt from Piper. "Leo!"

Leo orbed in. "What's going on?"

"Would you mind finding Angel? We kinda need him here."

"What's wrong?"

"Giles found a prophecy."

"What kind of prophecy?"

"One possibly involving my daughter."

"What?"

"Paige is going to get Giles and we'll know more soon. In fact, would you check with the Elders and see if they know anything about the Tro-Clan the Nyazian scrolls mention?"

"I…. Uh…." Leo sighed. "Fine." He orbed out.


	55. Chapter 55

Chapter 55

"Great. So, we're saying that my child is the scourge of mankind?" Angel exploded, pacing furiously. "I don't accept this. These stupid prophecies, you can always interpret them a hundred ways from Sunday."

"How do we even know your calculations are correct?" Buffy asked Willow.

"I don't." Willow said. "I'm still working on them."

"Look, all I know is that my daughter is _not_ the scourge of mankind."

"Let's face it, Buff." Xander said. "As much as I love the little tyke, she's not supposed to be here. It's biologically impossible."

"And mystically unfair." Phoebe said. "You two have fought long and hard for good. Your destiny is not to spawn something evil. Alex is not evil."

Paige sighed. "What if…." She stopped.

"What?" Piper asked.

"What if it wasn't Gideon to turn Wyatt evil? What if it's Alex?"

"No." Buffy said. "Chris told me that when Wyatt went evil, so did Alex."

"She's right." Leo said. "Alex isn't the future of evil and she didn't turn Wyatt."

"It's got to be something else." Angel said. "I wanna see these prophecies myself, and your calculations, Willow, and anything else we got on this."

"Why don't I take Giles back to his place and get everything?" Paige suggested.

"Good idea. We put our heads together and figure out a way to fight this thing." Phoebe said. "My niece is not evil, so it has to be something else."

"It still doesn't explain why this is connected to the same day that Alex was born." Giles said.

"Wyatt was born the same day." Piper said. "And he _was_ the future of all evil. Maybe this prophecy was talking about that and that means we've already stopped it."

"Leo, will you take me to the Hyperion?" Angel asked. "I've got some things up there that could help in the research and I want to bring Cordelia and Doyle in on this."

"Sure." Leo stood up and walked over to Angel.

They orbed out and Buffy stood up. "I'm going to go check on my not-evil, one year old daughter." She said as she headed for the stairs.

"That is one pissed off Slayer." Piper said. "And I can't blame her."

"But the prophecy says…." Giles started.

"The prophecy is wrong." The tone in Piper's voice gave no room for argument. "Buffy and Angel are two of the most decent people this sorry world has ever seen. They've both fought for too many years and both of them have lost their lives to the fight between good and evil. This child was given to them by the Powers That Be to keep her from turning evil, so there is _no way_ that that child is evil." Piper stood up and walked out, following Buffy upstairs.

Buffy and Piper walked down the street in their neighborhood for their usual morning walk with their children being pushed in their strollers. Phoebe had decided to join them to get away from the house. "I know they mean well," Buffy said. "But I can't believe they would even consider Alex like that."

"It's ok, Buffy." Phoebe said. "Everyone's working on it. Even the Elders are putting everything on hold to figure this out."

"I still think the prophecy is outdated." Piper said. "And there's really no need to look into it anymore."

"We have to be sure." Phoebe said. "We wouldn't want this prophecy to be talking about something that's going to happen tomorrow and we decided to ignore it."

Piper sighed. "I know, but as long as this prophecy is around, people are going to be looking at all of our kids."

"All of them?"

"Well, Wyatt was born on February second and a year later, Alex was born _and_ Chris was conceived the very same day. It's kind of worrying since they're saying this thing comes in threes and that's three right there. Plus, everyone keeps saying how Wyatt and Alex's future is so closely intertwined! What if they're just two parts of this thing and the third thing is yet to come?"

"I thought the prophecy was outdated."

Piper huffed. "I'm just looking at the options."

Buffy shook her head. "I don't care what anyone thinks or says. None of these kids are evil and they never will be evil. And whatever this prophecy is about, we'll fight it off like we always do."

"Right!" Phoebe said.

"And until then, we're going to continue with our lives like we always do."

"That's my line." Piper joked.

Buffy smiled. "Sorry. I'm just making myself feel better."

"It's ok. But just remember from now on: I'm the big sister here."

This time, Buffy laughed. "I'll try to remember that."

Scenes from world history flashed across four TV screens stacked side by side in the cave Holtz was waiting in. Holtz himself was sitting in a chair in front of the TVs watching the images flicker by. Sahjhan suddenly appeared behind his chair. "I know it seems like only a moment to you. But two hundred and twenty seven years have passed since our agreement. Empires have risen and fallen. Mankind has harnessed the power of the sun, walked on the moon, and turned arid desserts into fields of green."

"What of England?" Holtz asked. "Has it survived the years and destruction?"

"Yes. It went through a rough patch about sixty years ago, but it's mostly unchanged. Warm beer, boiled meat, bad teeth. That's why I moved to LA. Have you followed this part of the history? American Revolution, manifest destiny, westward expansion, the Beach Boys?"

"I understand enough. One thing baffles me. These visions, wars, the weapons of destruction: how is it no one has killed Angelus or Darla?"

"That's why I brought you here, remember? Because your fate and their fate are entwined."

Holtz stood up. "Then let's go. Let's finish this. I want Angelus."

"I know. I want him, too. But we're going to do it right. I haven't waited two and a half centuries to mess it all up."

"You have been tracking them this entire time?"

"Yes. But not in the way you imagine. There are other dimensions, other worlds where time behaves differently. I have an ability to navigate those dimensions."

"And is that why you haven't aged?"

"That, and I had a little work done. Mostly around the eyes. Now get some rest. You're going to need it." Sahjhan walked away and Holtz sat back down in the chair facing the TVs.

Later that day, Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe were in the kitchen discussing Chris's Wiccaning. Giles, Willow, and Tara were at Magic School. Cordelia and Doyle were out sightseeing and Xander was sleeping at the hotel that everyone had gotten rooms at. Angel and Piper were at P3 working.

"I have things to do, too, you know." Paige said. Buffy and Phoebe walked out through the dining room to the main hall. Paige followed close behind them. In the center of the carpet, they had a circle of candles set up. Wyatt and Alex stood near the base of the steps with baby Chris in the bassinet nearby. "I have all these parents on my back right now. Oh, and my freshman potions class? Let's see, I ordered five hundred dried toads. What did I get? Hmm, five hundred wet ones."

"Look, Paige, it's just really hard for me to get on board with this when Piper, the actual mother, is totally against doing a Wiccaning." Phoebe said.

"That's what Grams is here for, to convince her. Look at Wyatt. He didn't have one until he was six months old, and he almost turned evil. Now, look at that little sweet face. You want a repeat of that?"

"No, of course I don't."

"Hear me now. Hear my cry. Spirit from the other side, cross now the great divide." White orb lights appeared and swirled in the candle-lit circle in front of them. Buffy and Phoebe smiled in anticipation of seeing Grams again. As the lights swirled, they could hear Grams talking.

"You mean she is still lying about her age?" Grams chuckled as her ghostly form appeared in the candle-lit circle, her back to the girls. She stopped laughing as she realized that she was no longer where she had been. She turned around, confused by where she was. "Huh? Um…. what? Not a good time, girls. I'm busy."

"You're dead." Buffy said.

"Well, it doesn't mean I can't have a life. Oh, well. All right." Smiling, Grams stepped out of the circle and, in her corporeal form, gave Phoebe and Buffy a hug.

"Hi." Phoebe said.

"Hello, darlings." Grams hugged Paige. "Aw, sweetie. Oh, so, what brings me down here?"

"A Wiccaning for your great grandson." Paige said.

"Providing Piper doesn't kill us first." Phoebe added.

"A Wiccaning? Uh, I thought we already did that." Grams said.

"Not for Baby Chris." Paige said. She pointed over to the bassinet behind Grams.

"Um…. help me out here. Last time I knew, he was a six-foot whitelighter."

"Yeah, that was Chris from the future." Buffy said.

"This is baby Chris now." Phoebe said. Grams walked over to the bassinet and picked Chris up. "Piper and Leo had this night…."

Buffy waved her hand. "Do you really need us to explain this to you, or can you just be happy to see him?"

Grams hugged, snuggled, and cooed over Chris. "Oh, good gracious. Wyatt has a little baby brother. Oh, you're so sweet. So, when does Piper want to do this?"

"Well, technically…." Phoebe said.

"Never." Buffy finished.

"Nonsense." Grams said. "You can't deny this child his ancestral blessings. It's a witch's compass for good. I mean, who knows what terrible evils could befall him otherwise."

"See, now that's the kind of stuff that Piper needs to hear." Paige said.

The pacifier Chris was sucking on orbed out of his mouth and into Wyatt's hands. Immediately, Chris started fussing. "Wyatt, don't pick on your little brother like that. Now give it back." The pacifier orbed out of Wyatt's hands and re-appeared in Chris's mouth. Wyatt grabbed Alex's hand and orbed out of the room. "What was that all about?"

"He's fine." Buffy said. "He probably just orbed himself up to his room. He's having a hard time right now. His dad's never around. His little brother's getting all the attention. He's constantly being chased by the underworld, you know?"

"Well, I'm afraid he's just gonna have to get used to it."

"He's two."

"Right." Grams handed Chris to Phoebe. "Well, here. Ok. I'll go up and apologize." Grams headed upstairs.

"Still think this was a good idea?" Phoebe muttered to Paige. Paige just stuck her tongue out at Phoebe, turned her head, and looked away.

"Girls!" Grams cried from upstairs.

Buffy was up the stairs in a matter of a couple of heartbeats and rushing down the hall. Electricity hit Grams and she flew backward back out into the hallway floor. Wyatt and Alex were crying loudly and Wyatt had his shield around the both of them. Buffy ran into the nursery just as Phoebe made it into the hall. She and Paige kneeled down next to Grams.

Buffy grabbed the large toy shelf next to the door and threw it toward the masked demon standing over the kids. The masked demon vanished out of the nursery just as the toy shelf crashed into the wall. Wyatt dropped his shield and Buffy dropped the side of the crib and picked both kids up.

"Looks like I didn't get here a minute too soon." Grams said.

Cordelia and Doyle rushed in. "Is everything ok?" Cordy asked.

"We heard a crash up here as we were walking in." Doyle said.

"Oh my god." Cordy rushed over to Buffy and the kids. "Are they ok?"

"We got here just in time." Buffy said as Paige came over and took Wyatt. Phoebe had gotten Chris from downstairs.

Piper was behind the bar on the phone while Angel straightened up the cups. "Oh, no, that's ok, Jerry. Just, you know, get here whenever you can. Ok? Thanks. Bye." Piper said, hanging up.

"You ok, Piper?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Why?"

"Well, a beer shipment delayed so close to the weekend…. just figured there'd be more fireworks."

"Oh, no. It's no big deal. We'll just charge more for the ginger ale." Angel was a little confused by the remark and Piper laughed. "I'm kidding."

"See, there you go again. I don't know what, but something's going on. Is it the prophecy?"

"No. Yes. You know how people just leave things up to a higher power? Well, I'm trying to live my life without any powers. Makes for a lot less stress."

Angel chuckled. "Won't happen, Piper." He glanced up where Buffy and Phoebe were walking down the stairs into the club.

"Piper!" Phoebe said. "What's that face for? Sisters can't come by without there being something wrong?"

"What's up?" Piper asked.

"Nothing. Nothing's up. You know, why would you think anything was up? I just came by to tell my sister and future brother-in-law that I finally won a Reader's Choice Award."

"Congratulations." Angel said.

"Thanks."

"There's one more thing." Buffy said. "Something happened today after we summoned Grams."

"What?" Piper cried. "What? Why did you summon Grams?"

"For Chris' Wiccaning." Phoebe said. "It was Paige's idea, not ours. Don't blame us."

"What did I say? I don't want any magic. Look, I know my kids can't have a completely normal life, but I've got to give it a shot."

"Yes, absolutely, and I think we should start tomorrow, because, uh, a demon attacked Wyatt and Alex."

"And you wait till now to tell me?" Piper turned and left the bar.

"Well, we didn't want to worry you."

"They're ok." Buffy said. "Cordy and Doyle are there keeping an eye on them with Paige and Grams."

Piper continued towards the door. Buffy looked helplessly at Angel, knowing he couldn't follow. "Go." He said. "I'll call Leo and get him to orb me home." Buffy nodded and followed her cousins out.


	56. Chapter 56

Chapter 56

The front door opened and an angry Piper walked into the room. "Leo!" Buffy was hot on her heels, shutting the door behind them. Grams walked up to them as Piper put her bag and keys down on the hallway table. "Oh, hi, sweetie. How are you?"

"Don't you sweetie me." Piper snapped. "Where are the boys?"

"Oh, they're both perfectly fine. Paige took them and Alex to Magic School."

"Leo, now!" Without stopping, Piper headed up stairs.

"Uh…." Grams glanced at Buffy.

"Follow!" Buffy said, trailing after Piper.

"Leo?" Piper called again.

"Honey, are you sure you want him down here?" Grams asked. "I mean, considering that he can't even tell good from evil anymore. Well, you know, lost soul and all." Piper stared at Grams and then glared at Buffy. "Oh, don't get mad at her. Paige filled me in."

"Ok, first of all, our children's safety is Leo's number one priority. No matter how lost he may be. Leo!"

Leo orbed into the room with Angel. "Where are the kids?"

"They're ok. They're at the school." Buffy said.

"What kind of demon was it?"

"No idea." Grams said. "It had some sort of creepy mask. Oh, and it struck me down with a lightning bolt."

"I can't believe this is happening. I can't do this again." Piper said.

"Don't worry. I'm gonna go back down there. I'm gonna find out who it was." Leo said.

"Down there? As in the underworld? Hang out there a lot, do you?" Grams asked.

"Best place to vanquish demons, isn't it?" Leo orbed out.

Cordelia and Doyle walked into the hallway. "Is everything all right?"

"Uh…." Buffy glanced at Piper.

"Listen, Piper." Grams said. "Uh, far be it from me to meddle…."

"Then don't." Piper snapped. "Because you're already pressing your luck being here in the first place. Yeah, I know about the Wiccaning." She headed up the attic stairs and everyone else followed.

"I don't know why you're being so stubborn about it. I mean, what better way to ward off demon attacks?"

Piper opened the Book of Shadows and started leafing through the pages. "The demon went after Wyatt and Alex, not Chris."

"Well, all the more reason to protect Chris."

"Except for the fact that both Alex and Wyatt's Wiccaning didn't really protect them, now, did it? Aside from the fact that Wyatt's almost destroyed you, or do you not remember your friend the Necromancer? I just need to find out who the hell is after these kids."

Before anyone could say anything, the phone rang. Buffy was the closest one to the cordless in the attic, so she picked it up. "Hello? Hey Paige. Oh, uh…." Buffy handed the phone to Piper. "Wyatt orbed Chris somewhere."

Downstairs, the doorbell rang. Angel backed to the door. "I'm gonna…." He disappeared out the attic door and down the stairs.

Buffy followed him out with Cordy and Doyle right behind her. A minute later, Piper followed too. She was practically growling at Paige. "No, Paige, he's not here. Where the hell is he?"

Angel opened the door to find Victor Bennett on the front porch carrying Chris in his arms. "Oh, I hope this is yours, cause it sure isn't mine." Victor said to Piper as she walked up to the door.

"Thank god. I got him." Piper hung up the phone and reached for Chris. "Hi there, you. And you."

"Hi." Victor kissed Piper's cheek. "I stepped up on the porch and all of a sudden the little guy just flies into my arms." Victor hugged Buffy tightly. "Hi sweetheart."

"Hi uncle Victor."

"Where's Alex?"

"With Wyatt at Magic School."

"Which is where he orbed Chris from." Piper said.

"Oh. Is that normal?"

"It has been lately."

Grams who was sitting in the chair next to the bassinet with the Book of Shadows open in her lap, looked up and said, "Victor. What are you doing here?"

"And a big hello to you, too, Penny." Victor said. "I was invited for a Wiccaning."

"Oh. Sorry. Wiccanings are only for magical family members."

"That's not what Paige says."

"Well, Paige doesn't know all the rules."

"Ok, I can see this is gonna go really well, but it really doesn't matter who was invited because there isn't going to be a Wiccaning." Piper said. "Paige seems to think that if she crams enough family members down my throat that I'm gonna give in, but it's not gonna work, because nothing is working. There is some creepy-ass demon after my son and my niece, and now Wyatt wants to orb his brother all over creation for god only knows what reason."

"Well, isn't that just boys being boys?" Doyle asked. "I mean, there's always gonna be some sibling rivalry."

"No, actually, it's not. This is not them fighting over toys. They nearly kill each other in the future."

"You know, there's an easy way to nip this thing in the bud." Grams said.

"And what would that be, exactly?"

"Everyone come with me." Grams led them all back up to the attic. "Start going through these boxes. We're looking for a little black book."

"A little black book?" Victor asked.

"Yes. A little black book. Get to work."

Piper sighed and she and Buffy started with the closest boxes. Half an hour later, they still hadn't found anything. "Snakes and ladders, a very unfortunate halter top, but I don't see a little black book." Cordy said.

"Me either." Buffy added.

"I do." Victor held up a little black book and Grams grabbed it out of his hands.

"Oh. Thank you." She said.

"Don't want me looking up the old boyfriends, huh?"

"They were in a much bigger book, thank you. No, these contain spells I used to use on the girls when they were younger."

"You used spells on my daughters?"

"Oh, every now and then." Grams saw the look Victor was giving her. "Hey. You try raising three girls by yourself, keeping them in line. How else was I gonna stop them from misbehaving."

"Oh, gee, I don't know. By talking to them?"

Grams put the book aside, her attention completely on Victor. "Talking?"

Piper headed over to them. "Hey, how's about we just find that damn spell? How's that sound?"

Grams ignored her. "That's your answer for everything, isn't it? I was essentially a single parent. Patty was dead, and it's not as if you were ever around. I saw your sister more than I saw you."

"You wouldn't allow me to be around." Victor shot back.

"Do I need to find something to separate you two?" Piper asked. Buffy rolled her eyes and took the book from where Grams had laid it.

"You know," Grams continued. "Your daughters only ended up saving the world every other week. Believe it or not, it might have had something to do with the way I raised them."

"Found it." Buffy said loudly. "Spell to Resolve Sibling Rivalry."

"Oh, good, good." Grams reached for the book. "I'll get the boys, and you call your sisters. We'll get rid of the rivalry, and then you can use the Power of Three to vanquish the demon, ok?"

"Great. More magic." Piper said.

"Uh, do you have any other suggestions?"

"Well, I'm the Slayer. I slay demons too, you know." Buffy suggested.

"I know, sweetie. And you do a wonderful job at it, but this demon needs more than brute force. I don't want you getting electrocuted." Grams kissed the side of Buffy's head and walked out of the attic.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Wouldn't be the first time."

Paige orbed in to the attic with Wyatt and Alex. "Ok. Let's make this quick. I have four real angry parents waiting for me in the office."

Alex cried, "Mama!" and waddled over to Buffy. She lifted her daughter up with a huge smile.

"Well, here's my other grandson." Victor opened his arms wide, ready to give Wyatt a hug, but Grams pushed him aside and reached for Wyatt's hand.

"Come along, darling." She led Wyatt over to the bassinet. "I need you to stand by your little brother. Right there."

"Do they always act like this?" Doyle asked.

Buffy snorted. "Please. This is them on good behavior."

"You do know what you're doing, right?" Victor asked.

"Paige, dear. We're getting our Wiccaning." Grams said, ignoring him.

"I said maybe. We have a few more pressing issues to deal with at the moment." Piper said.

"Hmm, what changed your mind?" Buffy asked as she handed a squirming Alex to Angel.

"Nothing. Although it's getting harder and harder to say no with the arrival of a new family member every five minutes."

"All right, are you two ready to finally get along?" Grams said. "Cast your petty jealousies to darkest night. Let these feuding siblings no longer fight." As soon as the spell was cast, lights rose up and out from Wyatt and Chris. The lights lingered up high by the ceiling as Buffy, Paige, Piper, and Grams stared upward at them.

"Ok. Shouldn't those stop now?" Paige asked.

"Grams, are you sure this is the right spell?" Buffy asked.

"Remind me to never go on sabbatical again." Phoebe said as she walked into the attic. The swirling lights suddenly moved and fused into the four women, suddenly changing their behavior back into those of children. "Cause that Leslie is such a jerkface!"

"Oh, please, you so like him." Buffy said.

"I do not!"

"Do, too!" Piper said.

"I do not, Piper!"

"So like him." Paige said.

"I do not, Paige."

"Do, too!" Buffy said.

"Do not, Buffy!"

"Why don't you just marry him already?" Piper said.

"Why don't you just marry Leo?"

"Cause I already did."

"Leo. Leo."

"I don't want to get married." Paige said.

The masked demon appeared behind them and reached out a hand to Wyatt. Even though it was from behind, Wyatt's shield appeared and protected him from the masked demon. The masked demon was zapped and flew backward, crashing in to the piles of attic stuff on the side.

"Girls! He's here. Piper, blast him!" Grams cried. Piper turned and looked at the masked demon and screamed. "Girls!" Phoebe, Buffy, Paige, and Piper ran out of the attic screaming.

Grams turned and looked at the athame on the table. She motioned with her hand and the athame was thrown swiftly at the masked demon. The masked demon disappeared and the athame lodged into the wall.

Victor looked at Grams. "Hmm, any more great ideas?"

Cordy shook her head. "Why did that affect Buffy? She's not their sister."

Grams waved her hand. "Oh, uh…."

"They might as well be." Angel said. "They share blood and they share a sisterly bond."

"And Phoebe and Buffy were twins in a past life." Grams added. "That connection is still there and I suppose the spell saw that."

"Ok, so what now?" Doyle asked. "We can't have a twelve year old Slayer and her just-as-young Charmed One sisters running around unchecked."

"I'll go get them." Grams said. "It's just like when they were younger."

"Only they all have powers now." Cordy said.

"Girls!" Grams rushed out of the attic.

Ahead of everyone, Phoebe rushed down the stairs heading straight for the front door. Buffy, Piper, and Paige followed her. "I am so outta here!" Phoebe cried.

"Phoebe, do not go out that front door." Piper yelled.

"Try and stop me."

"Phoebe!" Piper held out her hand to stop Phoebe and accidentally sent a blast at the vase next to Phoebe, shattering it.

Phoebe whirled around and glared at Piper. "Jeez! Blow my head off, why don't you?"

"Oh, come on. It was an accident."

"Paige, no one leaves this house until I reverse that spell." Grams said.

Phoebe turned around intending to leave and Buffy let out a squeal. "Phoebe, don't!"

"I mean it, Paige!"

"Sayonara." Paige said, orbing out of the house.

"Paige!" After Paige left, Phoebe slowly turned toward the door. "Uh, Phoebe?"

"Phoebe, don't you dare leave this house." Piper called.

"Why not? Paige did." Phoebe argued.

"That doesn't count." Buffy said. "She probably went to Magic School."

"Yeah, well, I'm going to the Reader's Choice Awards." Phoebe opened the front door and smirked back at Grams and Piper.

"Wait!" Buffy cried.

"Phoebe, you've got more important things to worry about than some silly award…." Grams was cut off by the door slamming shut behind Phoebe.

"Way to go, Grams." Piper said.

"Piper, don't be rude."

"Look, it's not my fault. It's only the stupidest book ever. And you said the stupid spell would work, and it didn't. So you know what? I'm making a new rule now. The new rule is no more magic in this house!"

The whole time Piper was on a tangent, Grams read a spell from her little book. "Let this girl, quick as a sneeze, stop this snit and quickly freeze."

"Do you hear me? No…." The spell immediately froze Piper.

Grams looked up at Angel. "That's better."

Buffy gasped and started to cry. "Grams! Now I don't have anyone to play with!"

Victor stepped down from the stairs, a grandson in each arm. "Why is my daughter a statue and why is my niece crying?"

"They're fine. Piper will thaw out in a minute." Grams turned to Buffy and cooed softly. "Buffy, dear, they'll be back."

"Why did they leave me!" Buffy cried, stomping her foot. "I hate being the youngest!"

"They didn't leave you. They just…. Had things to do."

"But you said Phoebe didn't need to go to the award thingy and you told Paige not to leave."

"And they didn't listen."

"Don't punish Phoebe, Grams! She didn't mean to. I'll go get her."

Grams grabbed Buffy's arm, stopping her in her tracks. "No. You stay here and help me."

Buffy wiped her eyes. "With what?"

"Making a new spell."

"Ok. Can we bring Alex, too?"

"Oh, sweetie…."

"Yeah. How do I know Piper won't be this way forever?" Victor asked, walking into the dining room. "That it won't backfire like your last brilliant spell?"

"Have you heard a peep out of those boys?" Grams asked. "No. Because the spell worked, pulled the rivalry right out of them. Unfortunately, it went into the nearest set of siblings. In this case, the girls." Grams opened the Book of Shadows. "Anyway, they know everything that's going on in their adult lives. The only difference is they're not adults."

"Yeah, well, just tell me how to get them back to normal."

"Easy. I just have to figure out a reversal spell. Hopefully before the demon returns. Oh, we've gotta get the boys and Alex to Magic School. They'll be safe there."

"All right, tell me how to get there."

"You don't. Magic School is not for mortals."

"Well, they'll just have to make an exception, won't they?"

"Forget it, Victor. Call Leo. He'll take them." Grams walked away with Buffy asking why they couldn't bring her daughter with them. Cordelia and Doyle looked at Angel. He shrugged. "I guess I'm staying and guarding Buffy. You guys go tell Xander and the others what's going on."


	57. Chapter 57

Chapter 57

Grams and Piper sat at the dining room table while Buffy sat on the floor playing with Alex. Piper and Grams each had a notebook. "Ok, try this." Grams said. "'Words that cast a sibling glow…." Grams stopped reading when she realized Piper was refusing to work with her. "Piper."

Piper didn't answer for a moment. "What? I told you, I'm not doing this. I'm not writing anything down." Piper threw the notebook on the table. "I'm not doing magic."

"Do you remember the first time you were this age, when I sat you and your sisters down and we had The Talk?"

"Grams, I already know all about sex. And no offense, but I don't wanna talk about it with you 'cause that's really gross."

"Oh, not the sex talk, silly. The witch talk."

"So what did you tell us?"

"Why being a witch was such an important part of my life and what it meant to me and what it might mean to you someday."

"Did you tell us that Prue and mom were gonna die? Or that Leo was gonna lose his marbles, or that demons were gonna be chasing after us all the time everywhere?"

"Piper, I didn't know any of those things were going to happen. But if I did, I would've done everything in my power to stop it. Baby…. I'd like to think that being a witch gave you the inner strength you needed to deal with all those sadnesses in your life. Did you ever think about that?"

"No."

Leo orbed into the room. "You called?"

"No!" Piper turned away and wiped the tears from her eyes. "But hi!"

"Victor called you." Grams said. "He's in the other room with Angel."

Leo turned and looked for Victor. Piper turned and followed Leo out of the room, but Grams called after her. "Piper, where are you going?" She stood up to follow.

"Wait!" Buffy cried. She stood up, holding Alex in her arms, and rushed after them.

Victor was holding a sleeping Chris in his arms and Angel was playing with Wyatt in the shadows. "What's up?" Leo asked.

"How are you, Leo? Hey, you don't look so good." Victor said.

"You know what, dad?" Piper said. "You could try maybe being a little bit nice to Leo. What do you think, huh?"

"Piper, are you ok?" Leo asked. "You don't seem…."

Grams put an arm around Piper. "Oh, she's fine. We're fixing it."

"Nuh uh!" Buffy said. "You were talking and Piper was throwing things and…."

Grams clamped a hand over Buffy's mouth. "That's enough, dear." Buffy stomped her foot and walked over to stand with Angel.

"Leo, we need you to take the boys and Alex to Magic School for their safety." Leo looked down at Wyatt and hesitated. Grams noticed his hesitation and stepped in. "Do you have a problem with that? Never mind. We'll, uh, just keep them here. Angel can watch them, can't you?"

"I can take them." Leo said.

"You don't look like you can."

"What are you saying?"

"I don't know what's wrong with you, Leo…."

"Nothing is wrong with me." Leo stepped forward and took Chris from Victor.

"Where are you going?"

"To protect my children and my niece." Leo took a hold of Wyatt and Alex's hands and orbed them all out.

"You know, I don't understand why you guys have to be so mean to Leo." Piper said loudly. "You know, in case you haven't heard, he's kind of going through a hard time right about now. I mean, jeez!" She stormed loudly out of the room.

Grams sighed and turned to look at Victor. "We gotta turn these girls back fast. I'm gonna finish the spell and get Paige. Uh, make yourself useful, ok? Get Phoebe."

"Phoebe!" Buffy cried, hopping up from her seat on the floor. "I wanna go too! Me! Please! Please! Please, uncle Victor! Please!" She bounced up and down, clasping and unclasping her hands. "Please?"

"Come on, then." Victor said. "Let's go."

Angel shook his head as Buffy hugged him tightly and then bounced out after her uncle.

Later that night, Phoebe was sitting at the table doodling in her notebook. Buffy was sitting next to her giggling every time Phoebe wrote something down. So far, Phoebe had 'Mrs. St. Claire,' 'Leslie Leslie Leslie,' and 'Leslie is hot' written in curly letters along with stars, hearts, rainbows, butterflies, and lipstick kiss prints on the page that Buffy had helped her draw. Victor and Angel stood on the side and watched. Buffy picked up the phone to dial as Phoebe blew a huge bubble from the gum she was chewing.

Phoebe looked at the number Buffy had brought up. "No! What are you doing?"

Buffy hit the talk button. "Calling your boyfriend!" She laughed, handing the phone to Phoebe.

Angel could hear Leslie answer the phone. "This is Leslie. Hello? Hello?"

Phoebe quickly hung up and smacked Buffy's arm. "Why'd you do that!" Buffy just laughed hysterically the way only little girls could.

Piper walked into the room took the phone from Phoebe. "All right, I'm calling him myself."

"No, don't you dare!"

"Phoebe, do you wanna know if he likes you or not?"

"Yeah, but wait. If he asks, I'm not here, ok? I'm not even in the house anywhere."

"Ok, already."

"Ok." Piper started dialing.

Buffy let out another burst of giggles and started singing, "Phoebe and Leslie sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!" Piper laughed and joined in the chant.

Phoebe tried to grab the phone back from Piper. "Give it to me!" She climbed on the chair trying to grab the phone from Piper.

"No."

"No. Hey." As Phoebe and Piper struggled to gain control of the phone, Paige and Grams orbed into the room with the kids.

Grams handed Chris to Paige. "Stay here. Protect the boys and Alex." She turned and looked at Victor and Angel. "You two, come with me." Before they could say anything, Grams left the room. Victor and Angel followed her while Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper stopped fighting over the phone and turned to watch Paige with Alex, Wyatt, and Chris. Phoebe made one last ditch effort to grab the phone from Piper, but Piper pulled it away from her.

Piper looked at Buffy. "Hey, you have super hearing. Can you hear what they're saying?"

Buffy scooted her chair across the floor closer to the kitchen to listen. "Close the door." Grams said. "I found the demon who's after Wyatt and Alex."

"You did?" Angel asked. "When? Where?"

Leo orbed into the kitchen. "There he is."

"No. You're making a huge mistake." Leo said.

"Get out of here, Leo. I'm warning you."

"Penny, what the hell are you talking about?" Victor asked.

"I saw this monster attack Wyatt at Magic School."

"That wasn't me." Leo protested.

"Well, it sure as hell looked like you."

"I know it did. I can explain. It must've been some kind of shapeshifter or something."

"I don't know any shapeshifters who can get into Magic School or any who have Elder's powers."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa. What are you saying?" Angel asked.

"He attacked me, remember?" Leo said. "I was trying to protect Wyatt."

Buffy didn't need to eavesdrop for Phoebe, Piper, and Paige anymore. They could all hear the argument from their seats at the table in the conservatory. Paige held Wyatt, Piper carried Chris, Buffy held Alex, and Phoebe doodled in her notebook.

"Yes. From yourself." Grams yelled.

"I hate it when they fight." Phoebe said.

"That's 'cause of the stupid magic. It's ruining our lives." Piper said.

"It's already ruined mine because now Leslie knows I like him, and I can never leave the house again."

"Shh, shh, shh." Buffy said.

"This is my son and my niece we're talking about." Leo cried. "I would never hurt them."

"Just like you would never hurt an Elder? Or kill one?" Grams asked.

"Who are you talking about?"

"I think you know who I'm talking about. Gideon."

"Look, I don't care what you say. Leo's right. He would never hurt his son or my daughter." Angel said.

"They're right, Penny." Victor said.

"And how would you know?" Grams shot at him.

"Because I'm a father."

"Victor, you have absolutely no idea what the magical world is capable of."

"He may not have an idea, but I do. I am not capable of that." Leo said.

"No? Even after all you've been through? Look at yourself. Is it so hard to believe that maybe some dark alter ego of yours might be acting on your true feelings."

"What true feelings?"

"Maybe deep down inside, you think Gideon was right. Your son doesn't belong in this world."

"That's ridiculous."

"Is it? Then how else do you explain what happened? Where else could that demon have come from?" Leo orbed out. "Change of plans. We're not reversing the rivalry spell, or at least not yet."

"Why not?" Angel asked. "I thought…."

"No, listen. If adult Piper or adult Buffy were to find out that Leo was trying to harm their children, it would devastate them. Neither of them would be able to fight him off."

"We're talking about my daughter here, so I get a say in this." Victor said.

"No. With birthdays and holidays, you get a say. With magic and demons, what I say goes. Now if you'll excuse me…."

"Grams, Buffy's my girlfriend and Alex is my daughter. So I definitely get a say in this!" Angel said. "You need to reverse that spell."

"No." Grams left the room.

Angel and Victor exchanged glances and then followed Grams out. She was well on her way to the attic. The girls looked over at the men expectantly. "Stay here until I tell you it's ok." Victor said.

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Because…. I said so." Buffy pouted and both Victor and Angel tried not to laugh. They headed up to the attic where Grams was placing crystals around the room. "I told the girls to stay downstairs until we settle this."

"There's nothing to settle." Grams said. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm demon-proofing the attic. I wanna keep the children safe."

"Wait. Believe it or not, I really appreciate what you've done for my daughters."

"Buttering me up won't do you any good. I'm not reversing the spell."

"We don't expect you to." Angel said.

"But I expect you to understand that even though I couldn't be there when they were growing up, I'm here now." Victor said. "And just like you, I wanna do what's best for them."

"_We_ wanna do what's best for them."

"We already are." Grams said.

"No, we're not. And since we wanna reverse the spell and you don't, I think we should bring in a fourth party to break the Mexican standoff, so to speak."

"A fourth party?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Who'd you have in mind? Patty?" Grams laughed.

Victor and Angel both laughed and said, "Yes. That's exactly who we had in mind. Do it."

"Oh, all right. But she's not going to side with you, you know, and it'll be a tie." Grams sighed and waved her hand. Bright lights swirled in the attic and Patty appeared. "Mom?" Patty asked. "Victor?"

"Wow. Patty, you look great." Victor said.

"Oh, stop trying to sweet-talk her." Grams snapped.

Patty looked around in confusion. "What's going on?"

"What's going on is that your mother put a spell on the girls, all of them, and now they're kids again." Victor said.

"What?"

"I did not put a spell on them!" Grams protested.

"You put a spell on Wyatt and Chris." Angel pointed out.

"What kind of spell?" Patty asked.

"One to take away sibling rivalry." Victor said.

"And it worked." Grams protested.

"Oh yeah. It worked. It went into the girls."

"And that includes Buffy." Angel said.

"And Penny here won't reverse it."

"Because Leo is trying to kill Wyatt and Alex." Grams said.

"What!" Patty cried.

"If we were to reverse the spell, Buffy and Piper would be devastated to know about this. I'm telling you, they would never get over it." Grams said. "Piper's own husband, Buffy's oldest protector, trying to kill their children?"

"Oh, bull! We don't even know that it's Leo." Victor said.

Patty turned to Grams, trying to stop the argument. "Mom…." Patty said.

"What if it is? You trust Leo to look after those boys?" Grams asked.

"Well, better than keeping them locked up in the closet for the rest of their lives." Victor said.

"Ok, guys!" Patty shouted.

"Can I just say here that…." Grams started.

Patty turned to look at Grams as she cut her off. "No. Victor's right."

"Patty?"

"No, mom. We have to reverse the sibling spell and get the girls back to being adults so that they can vanquish this thing, whoever it is."

"But the danger to Piper and Buffy…."

"They're in more danger if we don't."

"Listen, I know these girls. I've been with them every step of the way."

"And we're their parents. And Buffy's aunt and uncle."

Grams looked at Victor who smiled at her in triumph. "Oh. Oh, well, then fine."

"Mom."

"I can see I'm not needed here."

"No. Come on, come on. I…. I…. I…." Grams disappeared from the attic. "Oh!"

"She always was a bad loser." Victor said.

"Yeah. She'll get over it. By the way, Victor, I've a question. Why'd you call on me to settle this?"

"The girls were in trouble, and you were the only person I could think of, dead or alive, that could be here quickly to settle this."

"Humph. Still. It was teenage trouble. It's kind of unfamiliar territory for us."

"Look, I know we had our troubles, but I think that if we'd been given the chance, we'd have done a really good job raising those girls. You wanna see 'em?"

"Are you kidding? Wait. Wait. Wait. When you said the girls reverted, what exactly did you mean?"

"You'll see." Victor and Angel said.


	58. Chapter 58

Chapter 58

Angel, Victor, and Patty approached the conservatory where the girls were. They looked up and saw Patty. "Mommy!" Phoebe cried.

"Hi, mommy!" Piper said.

"Hi, mommy." Paige echoed.

"Aunt Patty!" Buffy cried.

They all rushed over to her and hugged her wherever they could grab her. Phoebe grabbed onto one of Patty's leg and sat down while Buffy mirrored her on Patty's other leg. Piper hugged Patty and Paige touched Patty's hair. "Mommy, I'd like to sing a song." Phoebe said.

"Mommy, I have something…." Piper started.

"Look at your hair." Paige said.

"I see the problem." Patty said to Victor and Angel.

"Well, there's another problem." Victor said.

"Excuse me! I'd like to sing a song!" Phoebe cried.

"Me too!" Buffy said.

"Your mother took the reversal spell." Angel said.

"That's ok." Patty said. "I got one of my own. Now, girls…. girls, calm down."

Phoebe looked up at Patty. "Mommy, I met this boy, and he's really, really cute."

"We'll talk about the boy later and everything else because we've got so much to catch up on, but right now, I need you girls to stand over there."

"Is Leo a demon…." Piper started.

"Now!"

"Ok."

"Please."

Paige headed over to where Patty directed. Phoebe and Buffy remained behind, both of them still clinging to Patty's legs. "She said now, guys." Piper said.

"We heard her, Piper." Phoebe said as she and Buffy got to their feet and followed Piper and Paige.

"Ok. Ok, guys." Patty said.

"Today, Phoebe!" Piper said.

"You're so bossy." Buffy whined.

Patty sighed. "Reverse the spell from the book and please restore what was…. took." At the bad rhyme, Victor glanced sideways at Patty. She just shrugged. "I made it up when I was nine." The glowing blue lights rose out of the girls and headed back into Wyatt and Chris.

"So, how's this work exactly. You remember everything that happened?" Victor asked.

"Oh, my god. Yes." Phoebe said. "Leslie."

"Oh, my goodness. I tongued a student." Paige said.

"Uh, Piper, Buffy…. There's something we've gotta tell you about Wyatt, Alex, and Leo." Angel said.

"No, we already know." Buffy said.

"And you guys are right." Piper said. "Leo would never hurt Wyatt or Alex."

"We overheard everything you guys were talking about."

"Ok, let's go. We've got a demon to kill and children to save." Piper walked past her parents and headed upstairs. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige followed. Angel grabbed Buffy's hand and followed her up.

Patty watched them go. "That's our girl." Patty said, watching Piper.

Wyatt slept fitfully in his crib next to Alex. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige hid in the hallway, watching the kids, as they waited for the demon. "Are you sure this is gonna work?" Piper asked.

"How many times are you gonna ask me that?" Paige asked.

"Sorry. I'm just nervous. Just wish we knew what the hell is going on."

"Yeah, well, whatever's going on, I'm pretty sure the demon has something to do with Leo." They all looked at Paige. "What? I'm just saying."

"Do you ever wonder what it would've been like if mom and dad both raised us?" Phoebe asked.

"All the time." Piper said. Suddenly, the Leo look-alike appeared in the room next to Wyatt and Alex's crib. He turned and looked directly at Piper. "Oh, my god."

"Piper, it's not Leo. Throw the potion." Buffy said.

Piper threw the potion. The vial broke at Demon Leo's feet and the smoke rose up and over Demon Leo, but nothing happened. "Ok, that should've worked." Paige said as Demon Leo picked up Wyatt. Piper blasted him, but nothing happened. He looked right at her and then vanished out of the nursery.

"He didn't take Alex!" Buffy said, rushing in to pick up her crying daughter.

"He just wanted Wyatt." Piper said.

"We just assumed he was after both of them because they're inseparable." Phoebe said.

Angel rushed into the hallway with Cordelia and Doyle hot on his heels. "Did it work?"

"No!" Piper walked into her bedroom with the others following. "You promised that the potion would work."

"It was supposed to. I couldn't have made it any stronger." Paige said.

"Well, why didn't it? Are you kidding me? We can't stop someone from stealing my son?"

"Ok, you need to calm down and just try to focus on how to find him." Buffy said. Patty and Victor walked into the bedroom.

"Girls, I think your mother may be onto something here." Victor said.

"It's just that this seems somehow vaguely familiar to me. That's all." Patty said.

"Familiar how?" Paige asked.

"I'm not sure. You said you saw the demon appear at Magic School. Do you know what Wyatt and Alex were doing before?"

"The demon was after Wyatt. Not Alex." Buffy said as she bounced her daughter on her hip.

"Is she ok?" Cordelia asked.

"Yeah. She's just a little shaken up."

"May I?" Patty held out her arms.

"Sure." Buffy handed Alex over to her aunt.

"So what was Wyatt doing when the demon appeared at Magic School?" Patty asked, gently cooing and petting Alex.

"Sleeping." Paige said.

"Or maybe dreaming."

"He also appeared in the attic when everyone was arguing." Victor said.

"In front of Wyatt."

"The demon showed up right after Grams snapped at Wyatt." Phoebe said.

"Would somebody please tell me what's going on?" Piper asked.

Patty sat down on the bed next to Piper still holding Alex. "When you were a little girl, right after your father and I split up…."

"You started having a lot of bad dreams." Victor said. "Doctor called them night terrors."

"He said it was your subconscious way of blaming yourself for our breakup."

"You're saying Piper is the cause of your divorce?" Paige asked.

"No, no. No. Of course not. It was…."

"Other things." Victor finished.

"Right. Yeah." Piper said. "All this family history stuff is really interesting, but how is this gonna help us find Wyatt?"

"I think what they're saying is it's the same thing." Angel said. "Wyatt is blaming himself just like you blamed yourself."

"Except because Wyatt is so powerful, he made his night terrors come to life whenever he felt conflict." Patty said.

"Why would he make something up to hurt himself? And why Leo?" Piper asked.

Leo walked into the bedroom. "Because I'm the bad guy. As far as he's concerned, if I hadn't killed Gideon and saved him, I wouldn't be so lost. I'd be around here. I'd be home. He thinks it's all his fault."

"That's ridiculous." Paige said.

"No, it's not. I can relate."

"How did you figure this all out?" Doyle asked Leo.

"Let's just say somebody helped me look in the mirror." Leo said.

"So how do we find him?" Piper asked.

"We go to where he thinks it all started. Where I killed Gideon."

Holtz paced in front of the TVs in the underground cave below the streets of LA. A grate slid to the side and Sahjhan entered. Holtz turned on him. "You've kept me here long enough. Where are they?"

"It's not that simple."

"I'm tired of waiting!" Holtz reached out to grab Sahjhan, but his hands passed right through him. Holtz pulled his hands back.

"Like I said: it's not that simple. Do think I'd go to all this trouble of transporting you two and a half centuries if I could walk up to Angelus and stake him myself? Please! There are rules and timetables and forces at work far greater than either of us. Boy, you vengeful types aren't real good at playing with others, are you?" Sahjhan passed his hands along the sides of his head and his face turned into that of a human. "It's my street face." He explained, handing Holtz a coat. "Now put that on. I've lined up some men to help us." A few minutes later, the two of them were walking down the sidewalk of one of the streets in LA. "The buildings are taller, machines more powerful, and you can get really great Tai food at two in the morning. But the thing to understand is that people are the same today as they were in your day. They drink too much. They fight. They work hard. They fall in love."

Holtz saw a picture of a family pasted on one of the walls. "They have families."

"Yes, they still have families."

"I hope these men you've hired are ruthless bastards."

They walked up to a metal door and Sahjhan had Holtz knock on it. "Go away!" A voice called from inside.

"It's Sahjhan. This is where we'll get your men. Very exclusive." The man inside opened the door to a gym full of gray-skinned demons with upside-down walrus tusks.

"These aren't men." Holtz said.

"Once again: gender, not species. I should have said 'minions.' Have you seen Grappler demons fight? Not the sharpest pencils in the box, but merciless in battle. Ok, guys! Over here! Time to meet the new Jefe. And Flarmar, leave the head in the ring, ok?" Flarmar grunted and dropped the head he'd ripped off his opponent. "Ready to command your troops, captain?"

"Any other surprises I should know about?"

Buffy stood downstairs the next morning with Alex and Angel. Cordelia and Doyle were sitting next to Buffy and Angel at the dining room table. Piper was upstairs changing Chris with Leo. Phoebe and Paige were sitting on the other side of the dining room table playing with Wyatt. Leo and Piper had found him in the cave where Leo had killed Gideon. They'd talked to him and managed to convince him that it wasn't his fault.

"So everything's ok?" Cordelia asked.

"Yeah. And Piper's going to go ahead with Chris's Wiccaning." Buffy said.

"Good. He'll need all the protection he can get." Doyle said.

"You think maybe these three are the future of the Charmed Ones?" Cordelia asked.

"How so?" Angel asked.

"Well, I mean…. Chris and Wyatt are brothers and Alex is their cousin, but she might as well be their sister. And Buffy's just your guys' cousin, but that spell said differently. It saw her as a sister. Maybe these three together will be a trio of some serious power."

"Well, that's a given." Phoebe said.

"Here's hoping that that prophecy is wrong if that's all true." Paige said.

"It is wrong." Buffy, Angel, and Phoebe said.

"Ok."

"Has anyone seen Giles and Willow and Tara?" Angel asked.

"They're still at Magic School, I'm guessing." Phoebe said.

"I wonder if that's a good thing or a bad thing." Buffy said.

"Who knows?" Cordelia said.

"Ok," Piper said, walking into the room with Chris. "Let's get this over with." Buffy, Angel, Alex, Wyatt, Phoebe, and Paige all followed Piper up. Cordelia and Doyle weren't family so they couldn't attend. "All right, already. Break it up. Kids entering." Piper called as they walked into the attic. Leo brought up the end with Wyatt in his arms. He was clean-shaven and looking much better.

"Grams, are ya coming down?" Buffy called.

"Ah, she's being a martyr." Phoebe said.

"Grams, please?" Paige called.

"Last call, woman!" Piper yelled.

"Oh, very well." Grams appeared in the attic. "Just so we're clear, my way would've worked, too. Nevertheless, you're all forgiven, except Leo."

"Why not me?" Leo asked.

"Because I owe you the apology. I'm sorry, I thought you were evil. Not that you could blame me."

"Hah. That's an apology?"

"I'd take it if I were you." Victor said.

"All right, let's do this before I change my mind." Piper stepped forward and gave Chris to Grams. She stepped back and took her place next to Leo. Wyatt stood between them.

"I call forth from space and time, matriarchs from the Halliwell line. Mothers, daughters, sisters, friends, our family's spirit without end." Bright golden lights appeared one by one into the attic as the spirits were called forth. They swirled around the attic, then flared as all the ghostly forms appeared.


	59. Chapter 59

Chapter 59

Angel walked quietly through the cemetery, patrolling for any signs of demonic activity. It was his night for patrol and, as usual, nothing seemed to be going on. They'd been on high alert ever since Giles had brought up the prophecy, but so far things were quiet. Cordelia and Doyle had decided to stay in San Francisco until things had been cleared up. Giles, Willow, Xander, and Tara had gone back to Sunnydale at Buffy's insistence. Angel knew she didn't want to be around the people who thought their daughter would be the scourge of mankind. She was deeply hurt by the accusations and none of them understood why Giles had even considered Alex to be the thing in the prophecy.

Angel sighed, which was when a familiar voice behind him said, "Angelus." Angel whirled around to see Holtz standing behind him. "I've been looking for you."

"Holtz." Angel backed up a step. "My god."

"You have no god, demon."

Things suddenly fell into place. "The Tro-clan…. The prophecy…. Raised up from darkness to bring darkness. That's you. Holtz, whatever brought you here…." Gapplar demons suddenly appeared and caught Angel's wrists and neck in metal clamps on the ends of long sticks, holding him fast.

"You did. You and your demon bitch. For two hundred years I slept. For two hundred years I dreamt of nothing," Holtz laid a sword against Angel's throat. "But this moment."

"Which would explain why you look so well rested."

"You haven't changed."

"Actually, I have. While you were sleeping, a lot changed."

"Really?" Holtz threw holy water at Angel's face and he morphed into vampface for a split second, then back to human. "Somehow things seem the same to me."

"You're wrong."

Holtz put the sword tip against Angel's throat again. "I will have justice."

"No. I don't think you will. There is no justice for the things I did to you."

"You didn't do them to me. And you didn't do them alone."

"You're still human. How'd you manage this? Only dark magics could have brought you this far. Was it a demon or something else? Did something come to you, or did you seek it out?"

Holtz turned away and addressed the Grapplar demons. "Find the female. If he's here, Darla can't be far." All the Grapplars left except for the ones holding Angel. "Or are you going to tell me that's changed, too?"

"Actually…."

Holtz ignored him. "So, the question becomes, now that I have you, what's the best way to get her? She was always the trick, you know, not you. Darla was the unpredictable one. What if I just kill you now? Would she somehow sense it? Would she then come running? Would that bring her bursting through those doors, I wonder? She might show herself in the service of revenge. It can be a powerful motivator."

"Yes, it can." Angel decided to play along instead of letting Holtz know about Buffy and Alex. "What did you have to give up for this second chance?"

"Give up? I had nothing to give up. You saw to that."

"We took a lot from you, that's true. But we didn't get everything. We couldn't take your soul."

"What do you know of a soul?"

"I know yours will be destroyed if you allow yourself to be used in the service of evil. You're a good man, Holtz. A righteous man and you're being used for some purpose other than justice."

"Could it be you really have changed? I don't remember you ever pleading so cravenly before."

"And I remember you used to work with men." Holtz hit Angel hard across the face.

Buffy and Piper sat in the conservatory chairs watching Alex and Wyatt play on the floor with Leo. Chris was being rocked in Piper's arms as he slept peacefully. Paige was at Magic School and Phoebe was upstairs in her room. Cordelia and Doyle were cleaning up in the kitchen. They'd volunteered since Buffy and Piper had made dinner for everyone. Things were nice and placid at the moment.

Of course, the moment Buffy thought that, all hell broke loose. Big gray demons burst into the Manor, destroying the windows. Buffy and Piper were the first ones up. Piper handed Chris to Leo and he orbed the kids out. Buffy used Prue's powers to throw one demon away from her as another one tackled her to the ground. Piper blew up two demons as Phoebe came running down the stairs and Cordy and Doyle rushed in from the kitchen and joined the fight.

"Are you still concerned about my soul, Angelus? My vampire priest?" Holtz mocked. His eyes flicked behind Angel. "Excuse me." He walked over to receive the demon's report. "You've got her. Good. Bring her in."

Angel's eyes widened, thinking they'd gotten Buffy, but another woman's smell drifted to him on the wind. "Lilah."

"This isn't her." Holtz said. He threw holy water in Lilah's face. "She's not even a vampire."

Lilah wiped her face dry. "Her who? No, I'm an attorney. Look, if I'd known you were torturing him, I wouldn't have interrupted. Please, continue. I'll wait until you're finished."

"When I'm finished, he'll be dead."

"Really?"

"You say you're an attorney. You deal in man's laws, I deal in god's."

"Ah, right. A good guy."

"Do you know what he is?"

"Yeah, I know. Vampire, cursed by gypsies who restored his soul. Destined to atone for centuries of evil, wacky sidekicks, killed his sire for love, yada, yada. I'd have him killed myself, except the people I work for have this policy."

The demons turned Angel around so Holtz could look at him. "What does she mean 'cursed by gypsies?'"

"Long story, Holtz." Angel said. "I doubt it would interest you much."

"And killed your sire? You killed Darla?"

"Listen, how about I go to my car for about twenty seconds? That should give you enough time here." Lilah said.

"I can't allow you to leave." Holtz said to her.

"What do you mean? Of course you can."

"No. You said you work for the law."

"No, I didn't. I said I'm a lawyer. I don't care about the law."

"Lilah?" Angel said.

"What?"

"What are you doing here?"

"I just heard the happy news…. Dad."

"You're about a year and four weeks late."

"Well, you've been hiding with your girlfriend down here under the protection of the Charmed Ones. Even Wolfram and Hart have limitations."

"What is she talking about?" Holtz asked. "Why did she call you 'dad'?"

"You didn't hear either? Angel here's a daddy to a beautiful one year old daughter."

Angel didn't miss the flicker of emotion in Holtz's eyes. He couldn't read it since it passed so quickly, but he didn't think it was good. Leo orbed in and looked around. "What's going on?"

"Get me out of here!" Angel cried. Leo grabbed him and orbed away. He orbed them to the foyer of the Manor where Angel could hear the endings of a fight in the conservatory. "Alex…."

"She's fine." Leo said, following Angel into the conservatory.

"Buffy!"

"Angel!" Buffy rushed up to him.

"You're hurt." He touched the bleeding cut above her eyebrow.

"Are you ok?"

Angel looked down at the dead demons. "This is Holtz's doing."

"Holtz? The vampire hunter that tracked you and Darla…."

"Through the late seventeen hundreds, yeah. He was at the cemetery."

"He's long dead."

"No."

"Are you sure it wasn't his great, great, great-grandson?"

"No it was him. And these guys work for him. They had me trapped at the cemetery."

"Do you think he's part of what's supposed to rain down ruination upon mankind?"

"I think so."

"Well, the Nyazian Prophecies did say that the Tro-clan was going to be a confluence of events and the sudden appearance of an eighteenth century vampire hunter in the twenty first century does seem pretty confluey." Buffy's eyes widened. "Do you think he's here for Alex?"

"He didn't even know about her until Lilah said something."

"Lilah!" Cordy said. "What's that evil bitch doing here?"

"Up to no good, no doubt." Doyle said.

"She knows about Alex."

"Oh my god." Buffy's legs gave out and Angel helped her to sit down.

"Uh…. Who's Holtz?" Piper asked. Angel and Buffy looked back at her and the others, all of them wearing expectant faces.

Holtz paced the cave in the Underworld. Sahjhan stood patiently across from him as Holtz ranted. "You knew. You knew and you didn't tell me."

"Ok!" Sahjhan said. "So I left out one teeny weeny little detail or two. It didn't seem all that important."

"Not important? Angelus with a soul and a child!"

"It doesn't mean anything!"

"It means everything. He killed his sire for the love of another! It means everything!"

"See? This is why I didn't mention it. So Angel has a soul. Big whoop! So did Attila the Hun! Not to mention a heart as big as all outdoors when it came to gift giving. He is still a vampire! Angel, not Attila."

"He's not the same vampire."

"Of course he is! His hair is a little shorter, a little spikier. He's using product. But it's the same guy."

"No. He's changed. He's different."

"Look. I don't know what kind of moral mind games you've been torturing yourself with, but can't let this soul thing get in the way of what you swore to do."

"Get in the way?"

"That's what this is about, right? You find out Angel has a soul, now you're wondering if things are a little murkier…. ethically speaking."

"Things have never been clearer. Releasing his soul to suffer for all eternity only makes his destruction more just, more fitting."

"Oh. Well, then what's the problem?"

"You've had me hunting the wrong prey."

"Ah! Right. Because an Angel with a soul and Angel as a dad is going to be a slightly different challenge from an Angel without a soul and a kid."

"I must know everything."

"Right. No, gotcha. My mistake."

"You've kept nothing else from me then?"

"Just that his girlfriend and the mother of his child is a Slayer."

"A Slayer? A Vampire Slayer?"

"Yes."

"A corrupted Slayer then."

"Yeah, sure."

"And this is all?"

"Ah. No. Yeah. Nothing more I can think of."

"So, this Holtz guy is back and looking for revenge on you." Cordy said.

"And Wolfram and Hart now knows about your guys' daughter." Doyle added.

"And Holtz knows about her too."

"And…."

"We've got the gist!" Piper snapped. "It's not a good one."

"No. It's not." Buffy said, pacing nervously. She looked at Paige who had orbed in after Leo had taken the kids to Magic School. "Are you sure they're safe?"

"Yeah. Mrs. Winterbourne knows what's going on and she's got extra protection on them." Paige said. "No one but us and her know that the kids are there."

"Can Wolfram and Hart get into Magic School?" Angel asked Leo.

"I don't think so." Leo said.

"Be sure, Leo." Buffy said. "Check with the Elders." Leo orbed out. "If Wolfram and Hart know about Alex, then the rest of the demon community won't be too far behind."

"A lot of them know already." Paige pointed out.

"Not really. We've killed all of them that have come in contact with Alex." Phoebe said.

"That wouldn't really stop them from telling other demons between the time we first saw them to when we killed them."

"Then the entire demon community would be after Alex by now." Piper said.

Angel sighed. "We need to make a list."

"Of what?" Cordy asked.

"Enemies. Wolfram and Hart are going to be coming after our daughter and they'll use anything and everything to get to her."

Buffy looked at Piper. "And that means they'll discover her future with Wyatt and Chris."

Piper nodded. "I figured."

"I'm sorry, Piper."

"It's ok. It's not your fault."

Angel stood up. "Let's get that list going. I want to be prepared for whatever happens."


	60. Chapter 60

Chapter 60

Sahjhan followed Holtz back into their underground lair in the Underworld. They'd taken the Grapplar demons out for food. Sahjhan had also taken Holtz to another demon to give him more background on Angel. It was now just before dawn.

"Well that was a thrilling evening. It's not like I've been waiting two hundred and fifty years for you to take your blood vengeance on Angel to have you just stand there and let that Elder orb him away."

"Why didn't you tell me about everything?"

"Are we back to this?"

"Angelus killed his sire for that girl."

"Well, at least one of them is dust."

"She got off easy. Angel's next demise will be a great deal more painful."

"You know you throw around a lot of big words like death and pain and no mercy, but so far I haven't seen bupkus." The Grapplar demons followed behind them stuffing themselves with fast food as they went. "Listen to me, Holtz, we got prophecies to fulfill. We don't need some deep, dark plan for Angel. You put a stake in him, you watch him go poof! It's a classic."

"Step one is getting rid of these minions."

"No. Step one is poof. And then there are no more steps. And we can't get rid of the Grapplars. I signed a two-week contract. Trust me, you don't wanna piss these guys off."

"They're soulless beasts bred only to maim and kill."

"Ah! Maim and kill. Two more words I like. You're gonna need these guys, unless you're plan is to kill Angel with candy clowns and marshmallow pies." Sahjhan realized that all the Grapplars were suddenly making choking noises. "What's happening?"

"I need more than mere fighters."

"They're choking! Do you know the Heimlich? I can't do it in this dimension. My arms will go right through them." The Grapplars started dropping one by one. "What did you do?"

"I poisoned their drink."

"Why?"

"Because I don't need mercenaries who will kill for anyone willing to pay their price. I need warriors who will die for my cause…." One remaining Grapplar charged Holtz from behind. Holtz killed him with a backwards thrust of his sword without ever taking his eyes off Sahjhan. "Like that."

"Great. So step one is I'm stuck with four costly and dead demons. What's step two?"

Holtz walked over to where a computer was sitting atop a table. "We can find information using this box correct?"

"Yeah. You won't believe how fast my connection is. What do you wanna find?" Sahjhan passed his hand in front of the computer screen and the entry page of the _Demons, Demons, Demons_ database came up.

"Obituaries."

Angel was in the attic looking at the weapons cabinet up in the attic. He'd had Paige orb it in from the Hyperion. Buffy walked up to the attic and watched him for a minute. "We're gonna need some serious firepower." He said finally.

"You mean something beyond swords and spears?" Buffy asked.

"Way beyond."

"We have Phoebe, Piper, and Paige."

Angel looked at her. "I don't know if this is going to be enough."

Buffy walked up to Angel and wrapped her arms around his waist. "It has to be, Angel. This is all we've got. And it's all we need."

"Are you sure about that?"

"We've been fighting off demons that were after Wyatt and he's still safe. We'll do the same for Alex."

"Wyatt has a shield to protect him. Our little girl doesn't."

"Wyatt won't let anything happen her."

Angel sighed. "Did we get into the websites?"

"Not yet." Buffy said.

"Normally all we would have to do is hack into the e-mail and track the relays but they're using re-mailers." Cordy said, walking in with Doyle.

"Which means?" Angel asked.

"Which means there's no direct id. It's going to take a little time."

"We don't have a little time. Are those all the names up on the board?"

"We're working on some other leads." Doyle said. "We all want the same thing, Angel. We're doing the best we can."

"Do better."

"Angel!" Buffy scolded.

"No one is gonna put their hands on this child. No one."

"Of course not." Cordy said. "We'll get back down there." She pushed Doyle out of the attic.

Buffy looked up at Angel. "We're gonna make it through this."

Angel sighed. "Buffy, I'm scared."

"I am too."

"I'm a cursed vampire. I'm not supposed to have any of this. The daughter. A family. You."

"Who says you're not supposed to?"

"My nature."

"Angel, you're a man with a demon inside him. Not the other way around. Your nature is one of pure love and humanity. And you deserve all of this more than anyone I know. After everything you've been through…."

"Buffy, I've done…. What I did to Holtz…."

"You didn't do those things. Angelus did. And he's gone now. He can't come back." Buffy kissed Angel gently. "We're going to keep our daughter safe. I promise."

Holtz was waiting behind a chain-link fence near the back door of a bar. He pulled out a paper with an obituary for a young girl named Julia Cooper. The door to the bar opened and a girl looking exactly like the picture on the obituary walked out, squinting at the bright sunlight. She lit a cigarette and walked off. Holtz followed after her. He turned a corner to see a barely smoked cigarette lying on the ground. He raised his hand to catch the girl's fist as she swung at him.

"Your punch could have been quicker without so much to drink." Holtz said.

"It's kind of a trade-off, because without that much to drink," She head-butted Holtz. "Hurts a lot more."

Holtz tossed her against a nearby, parked car. "You stick to the shadows."

"I'm not much of a day person." The girl took a hold of a wood 2x4 lying on the ground next to her as she picked herself back up.

"I'm not here to fight."

"Your bad luck." She swung at Holtz, but he easily evaded her attack and pushed her up against the wall of the building, his hand around her throat.

"I know you're in pain. I know what it's like to grieve." He let go of her.

She lifted up a finger and tapped him on the chin. "Nice goatee. Kind of rounds out the whole creepy stalker look. I'll be moving on now." She turned to go.

"Justine. I'm not finished."

"You know my name?"

"I know everything. You know at seventeen twenty two Spaulding. You stay out all night. Sleep all day. Ever since your sister was murdered six months ago." Holtz unfolded the printout of the obituary and handed it to her. "Your twin. It wasn't a mugging like the paper said, was it? Major blood loss, two unidentifiable neck wounds."

"So?"

"My name is Holtz. I want to help you."

"I'll tell you what I want. I want you to stay the hell away from me."

Holtz just watched as Justine walked off.

Cordy was sitting at the dining room table hunched over her laptop. Phoebe brought in a cup of coffee and set it down beside Cordelia. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." Phoebe said.

Cordy heard footsteps on the stairs and just knew they were Angel. "Oh, I still haven't traced the websites."

Phoebe patted her on the back. "Relax." She looked up at Angel as he rounded the wall between the stairs and the dining room. "Morning. Get any sleep?"

"No." Angel said.

"Where's Buffy?"

"She's at Magic School with Piper. Paige took them there a few minutes ago."

"Why didn't you go?" Cordy asked.

"I'm waiting for Doyle to come back."

As if on cue, Doyle walked in from the kitchen carrying a duffel bag. "Mission accomplished, big guy." He dropped the duffel bag on a chair and unzipped it. "You said you wanted fire power, so…."

"A flame thrower!" Phoebe gasped.

"Good work." Angel said to Doyle.

"Also we got company out front."

"Did they see you?"

"Nah. I saw them, kept on going, doubled back, and came in through the back way."

"Who are they?"

Phoebe went to the window and glanced out. "There's two blacked out cars out there."

"I'm betting it's a vampire cult." Doyle said. "And there's a biker gang out there that I've heard rumors about."

"Humans?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. There into extortion and kidnapping. There were also some fellows in a van I didn't recognize. They're wearing hooded cloaks."

"What color?"

"Purple."

"Lilliad demons."

"Are they in the Book?" Phoebe asked.

"Probably. They're mystical demons who make a magical broth from the bones of human children."

"What do you think they could want with Alex…. Other than the obvious?"

"They probably want to find out how the child born of a vampire and a Slayer effects the recipe. They use strong magic."

"Well, they don't have the Power of Three."

"What are they waiting for?" Doyle asked.

"Night. Their power's linked directly to the lunar cycle."

"So, we're safe for now, but when the moon rises…." Cordy trailed off.

"And tonight's a full moon." Phoebe said.

"Listen, man. No matter what kind of weapons we have, or what kind of magic we have, we're not gonna be able to fight off the whole world." Doyle said.

"I don't see that we have a choice." Angel said, walking back upstairs.

Figures in purple hooded cloaks were chanting in front of the Manor. Phoebe turned away from the window in the living room and looked at the others that were waiting around the room behind her.

"The Lilliad demons are starting their mojo on the force field." Phoebe said. They'd put up a protective perimeter around the Manor that afternoon in hopes that it would drive off the demons and vampires. "And the sun's down so the vampires can come out, too. Oh…. Uh…. They're headed towards the bikers."

"What are they doing?" Piper asked.

"They're having a brawl over who gets to kill us first."

"We have to hold our ground." Buffy said firmly.

"What if we can't?" Cordy asked.

"If we're forced to fall back…. Paige'll orb us out of here. We can go to Magic School."

Doyle picked up the flame-thrower. "I was hoping to use this."

"Not in the house." Piper said.

"This isn't going to work." Angel said suddenly.

"Excuse me?" Doyle looked down at the flame thrower. "I'll have you know I checked this bad boy out. It's primed and ready."

"Not the weapon, the plan."

"It's the only one we have." Phoebe said.

"We can't hide out at Magic School for the rest of our lives. We can't leave the kids there for the rest of theirs. We've got to nip this thing in the bud."

"How?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy, Piper, and I will go. We'll find somewhere safe for the kids."

"What's safer than Magic School? Demons can't get in." Cordy said.

"But they can corrupt a student or even a teacher. It happened to Gideon. And then Magic School wouldn't be safe anymore for them."

"But if you stay and help us fight…." Doyle shook his head. "Hey, you said it yourself, man. We're in a war here."

"And now I'm in a retreat."

"What happened to taking them out?" Paige asked.

"There's too many of them. We can get out through the back and go down into the sewers through the alley. With any luck we'll get a couple miles before anyone notices that we're gone."

"So you're just gonna leave? Run away?" Cordy asked.

"You're gonna be all right. Once they break the spell and storm the place, they'll realize that the kid's are gone and they'll go after us. Stall them if you can."

Cordy stepped into their path as Angel, Buffy, and Piper headed for the basement doors. "I'm sure tripping over our dead bodies will slow them down."

"You'll be fine." Angel hurried out with Buffy and Piper without even looking back.

Piper looked at Angel. "This better work."

"It will." Angel said.

"Leo."

The three of them orbed into Piper's Jeep, thanks to Leo, and Angel started the car. "Buckle up." Angel pulled into the alley and hit the gas. They burst out onto the street and made a hard right, taking them towards the edge of the city. Behind them, Hum-vees followed and behind them, the biker gang, the van with the Lilliad demons, and the cars with the vampire cult weren't far behind. The Jeep fishtailed around a corner just as a Hum-vee pulled out of another street to cut him off. Angel wrenched the car aside to turn onto another street. They made it to the city limits and drove across the Golden Gate Bridge, passing car after car, and headed into the hills across the bay.

One of the Hum-vees rammed the back of the Jeep and Piper turned and blew out the Hum-vee's front tires. They drove by a 'Danger Abandoned Mine No Trespassing' sign and Angel looked at the two women. "Here we go." He suddenly turned the Jeep and drove through a latched wooden gate. He drove past an abandoned shack and through the boards closing off the entrance of the mine. Buffy, Piper, and Angel got out of the Jeep, Angel carrying a blanket, and descended into the main mine shaft.

They came up against a tunnel entrance nailed shut with boards. As the first pursuers descended into the pit of the main shaft, the three ran over to another tunnel mouth and found it blocked by and iron grate. They turned to face their pursuers.

"Give us the child!" A Lilliad demon called.

"You want the kid? You can have the kid." Angel tossed a blanket in a high arc into the middle of their enemies. They all scrambled for it, while Angel grabbed the two women and quickly rode the rope up to the top of the shaft. They got back in the Jeep and backed out of the mine shaft, making a screeching U-turn, and sped away just as a fireball rolled out of the mineshaft, its fire casting a red glow over the taillights of the Jeep.

Back at the Manor, everyone was waiting for news on Angel, Buffy, and Piper. Chris, Wyatt, and Alex sat in their playpen playing with their toys under the watchful eyes of the others. Finally, the front door opened and the three of them walked in. Phoebe was the first one up. "Oh my god!" She hugged Buffy and Piper tightly. "Are you guys ok? What happened?"

"We got rid of a big threat." Angel said.

"Leo helped us plan it." Piper said. "We couldn't put you guys in danger like that, so we led them to an abandoned mine and blew them up."

"With magic?" Paige asked.

"With dynamite." Buffy said.

Phoebe hugged them again. "I'm so glad you guys are ok."

"So, it's over with?" Cordy asked.

Angel shook his head. "No. There're too many enemies against these kids. But I think we made a big enough statement tonight to make them _very_ cautious about coming against us for the kids."

"What about Holtz?" Doyle asked.

"I hate to say it, but we'll just have to wait and see with him."

"But he's the easiest to protect the kids against." Paige said. "We have magic. He doesn't."

"He may not have magic," Buffy said. "But the forces that got him here do. Whatever's behind him coming back is powerful."

Paige sighed. "Just another day in the Halliwell Manor."


	61. Chapter 61

Chapter 61

Buffy, Piper, and Paige were sitting in Piper's Jeep parked across from a chapel on the military base. It had been three weeks since the attack on Alex and the return of Holtz and things had been relatively quiet. They'd had to deal with dead pirates the week before and Phoebe was now sleeping with Leslie. At the moment, all three women were on their cell phones.

"This is ridiculous. We need more than ten cases of beer." Piper said.

"Look, we can't keep doing this, Phoebe, because Buffy, Piper, and I actually have lives." Paige said.

"No, his name is Holtz." Buffy said.

"Ok, call Phil at the beauty bar, and he will lend you a couple cases of beer. I will call the distributor tomorrow." Piper said.

"No, Phoebe, I haven't seen the demon or half-demon or whatever the hell he is. Yeah, I think demon fighting is important, but you, missy, are at home doing research, and Buffy, Piper, and I are here on the front lines."

"Daniel Holtz. He hunted Angel back in his bad vamp days. I need all the info you can get on him." Buffy said.

"Uhh. I got to go. Bye." All three of them said, hanging up at the same time.

"Angel says hi." Piper said to Buffy.

"Why is it every time Phoebe runs away from a guy that we actually pay for it?" Paige asked.

"I know. She sleeps with Leslie, and suddenly she's got us chasing demons all over town while P-3 falls apart."

"And she has to get her active powers back, because we can't keep picking up the slack." Buffy said, leaning back in the seat. "I wish the demon would hurry up and attack already."

"You know, it's ok. I cast a protection spell on the innocent, so it should be all right."

"Excuse me? You did what?" Piper asked.

"I cast a protection spell, because, you know, you can't keep watching them all the time."

"Paige, protection spells backfire. That's why we don't use them."

"Don't worry about it. I got the spell from my best grad student. I'm all over it."

"Well, it better be, because the chaplain's on the move." Buffy said. Piper and Paige turned to see Chaplain Arthur Casey headed for the chapel. Paige picked up her binoculars to get a better look.

"He's going in alone." Piper said. "Come on, put that down."

"I have to put my shoes on." Paige griped as they piled out of the car.

The three of them ran over to the chapel and pushed open the front doors. The half-demon threw an energy ball at Arthur and hit him square in the chest. Arthur flew backward and hit the wall behind the offering table. Piper blasted the half-demon from the back.

"Ouch." The half-demon said, rising to his feet. "Well, that really stings." He waved his hand and shot a stream of electricity at Buffy, Paige, and Piper. They dove for the floor, barely missing getting hit.

"How many powers does this guy have?" Piper asked.

"Arthur, get down!" Paige cried as she saw the chaplain peeking from behind the alter.

"What?" The half-demon held out his hand and powered up a fireball. He turned and threw it at Arthur. The fireball headed for Arthur, but Paige orbed it out of its current path toward a new target. The fireball turned and curved around, heading straight for the half-demon. He shimmered out of the chapel, barely missing getting hit.

Buffy, Paige, and Piper stood up from behind the pew. Buffy rushed forward to check on Arthur who was getting to his feet. In the center of his chest where the energy ball had hit him, Arthur had a big hole in his chest.

Buffy walked around him and looked at Paige through the hole in Arthur's chest. "Nice protection spell."

Leo grimaced as he glanced through the hole in Arthur's chest. He waved his hand which he looked at through Arthur's other side. "How did this happen?" Arthur asked.

"Uh, actually, we're not really sure." Phoebe said.

Piper walked into the room carrying an overcoat. "Would you mind covering up? It's a little unnerving." She handed the coat to Arthur and he put it on.

"But…. how am I still alive?" Arthur asked.

"You see, I kind of cast a protection spell." Paige said.

"You cast a what?" Leo asked.

"Already been there, done that." Piper said.

"A spell." Arthur clarified.

"Yeah, but the spell she cast was clearly a very, very bad idea." Buffy said.

"I had to do something." Paige defended. "We couldn't just sit around and wait for demons to attack, because, you know, Piper, Buffy, and I actually have lives."

"Don't drag me into this." Buffy and Piper said simultaneously.

"What? We three agreed that the only reason we are out hunting for demons constantly is because Phoebe won't deal with her Leslie issues."

"Wait. I have Leslie issues?" Phoebe asked.

"Ok, you guys, we have issues right now with the Chaplain." Leo said.

"I have to get out of here." Arthur said. "I got to find my wife." He ran out of his room.

"Uh, Paige, would you mind?" Phoebe asked. Paige rolled her eyes and orbed out of the room. "We can't have him running around San Francisco looking like that with Agent Brody snooping around." An FBI agent had been keeping a close eye on the girls and Leo and Angel.

Paige and Arthur orbed back into the room. "What are you people?" Arthur cried.

"We're witches." Phoebe said.

"And I'm a Slayer." Buffy added.

"It's ok. Just relax."

Arthur plopped down on the chair behind him. "Ok, my spell got us into this mess." Paige said. "I'll figure out a way to reverse it. I'll just add it to the long list of things I have to do in Magic School."

"Can you tell me if I'm alive…. or dead?" Arthur asked reluctantly.

"Uh, well, the thing is…. we're not really sure." Leo said.

"I might be able to answer that question." Everyone turned around toward the sound of the voice. Arthur stood up and turned around. In the hallway, stood a man dressed all in black.

"And you would be….?" Buffy asked.

"I'm the Angel of Death." Arthur moaned and fainted, falling back into the couch causing the couch to hit the table and knock over the lamp, shattering it. "I knew your sister, your mother, of course, and your grandmother."

"All right, we get the point. What do you want?" Leo asked.

"Do you kill people?" Paige blurted.

"No, Paige, I don't kill. I merely claim the souls of those who have already died."

"And you're here for who now?" Piper asked.

"Oh, don't worry, not any of you. No, this time…. I'm here for him." Death pointed to Arthur. "The problem is, I don't seem to be able to claim his soul yet, even though he's dead. It's fascinating, really. I've never had this problem before. Any ideas why now?"

"I cast a spell." Paige sighed.

"A spell? You trapped a soul with a spell?"

"It wasn't intentional."

"Reverse it now."

"Hey, listen, tall dark one." Buffy snapped. "If we give you him, the demon gets what he wants, and then we won't be able to stop the demon."

"You don't understand." Death held out his hand and snapped his fingers. In a puff of white smoke, a parchment with two lists on it appeared in his hand. On the left was a list of those DEAD and on the right is the list of those TO DIE. "People have to die in order, according to my list. Otherwise, the cosmic balance is thrown off."

"You have to give us some time to figure out what to do with the demon." Phoebe said.

"The demon is not my concern. I'm neutral. All I care about is maintaining the grand design, but in order to do that, I must claim the soul of the Chaplain soon. I'll be back." The Angel of Death disappeared.

Phoebe turned around to issue instructions. "Ok, this is what we're going to do…."

"No." Paige cut her off. "_We_ are not doing anything, until _you_ deal with Leslie."

"Paige, are you crazy? There's a demon on the loose."

"You're right, but you're not dealing with it. We are, because you don't have active powers."

"Ohh. This is ridiculous."

"Look," Piper cut in. "All I know is that since you've slept with the fella, all you've been talking about is demons and vanquishings and…."

"And, see, the thing is that we have lives." Buffy said. "We're not on sabbatical."

"Ok, so what do you want me to do?" Phoebe asked.

"Talk to Leslie." Piper and Buffy cried.

"Fine. I will talk to him. Paige, you figure out a way to reverse your spell. Piper, you work on the vanquishing potion and take care of that innocent. I'm going to go talk to Leslie."

"Good luck." Buffy called.

Paige orbed out, Buffy headed upstairs to check on the kids, and Piper turned to Leo. "Ok. I think you should go let the Elders know what's going on.

"Oh, I don't know if I can keep facing them, Piper." Leo said.

"Yes, you can, Leo. You did great last time, and we really need you to do this. Please?" Leo orbed out. Piper sighed and turned around to deal with Arthur who wasn't there. She looked around the room, but there was no sign of him. "Oh, great. Buffy!"

Piper sat at the table scrying for the chaplain over a map while Buffy went through the Book of Shadows looking for a way to either fix the chaplain or reverse Paige's protection spell. Just as Buffy made it to the last page for the second time, Paige orbed in. "Hey." She said.

"Hi." Piper said. "Please tell us you found a way to reverse the spell."

"No. Not without losing the chaplain, I haven't, which means the demon…."

"The demon will become whole." Buffy finished. "We got that. But, honestly, he scares me a hell of a lot less than the Angel of Death does right now. If we don't find the chaplain…."

"What do you mean 'find him'? Where'd he go?"

"He ran off and I can't find him because your spell is protecting him." Piper said. The crystal circled and fell on the map suddenly. "At least it was. You didn't lift the spell?"

"No. I told you I didn't."

"Then who did?" Buffy asked.

Piper stood up. "Let's find out." She grabbed Buffy and Paige's hands and they orbed to an alleyway. The Angel of Death was standing over the chaplain's body with the chaplain's soul standing next to him.

"What have you done?" Paige asked.

"What I should have done in the first place. I've reversed your spell and took the chaplain's soul." Death said.

"And you helped a demon in the process." Piper said.

"On the contrary. Your demon helped me."

"You can't do that." Buffy said. "You're supposed to be neutral."

"Circumstances were unusual. Your spell had unforeseen consequences."

"What kind of consequences?" Paige asked.

"People have to die in the order on my list. If one person doesn't, all death ceases. Now I have to work overtime to collect the souls I've been unable to claim, to undo the damage you've done to the grand design."

"Damage?" Buffy asked. "We've done more than almost anyone to protect your grand design."

"Look, we should leave it. We have a demon to go after." Paige said.

"No. We're not leaving it. We've given up a lot to make sure you have less work. I have a one year old and I have two nephews that I watch after while Piper's at work and I still find time to fight demons, too. It's not our fault you can't keep up." Buffy turned and opened the wire gate behind them.

"That isn't my problem." Death said.

"It sure as hell isn't my problem."

"Stop yelling at Death." Piper said.

"I don't care. He's getting on my last nerve."

"You people created this mess, not me. But you're gonna help me clean it up." The Angel of Death reached out his hand in front of him and closed it into a fist as if grabbing something out of thin air. Buffy collapsed to the sidewalk.

"Buffy!" Piper cried, dropping down beside her.

A man rushed over to help. "What happened?"

"I don't know. She just fell."

"Call 911." The man and the crowd that had gathered scrambled to assist them.

Buffy appeared on the sidewalk standing near her body. "What's going on?" She looked down and found that she was dressed all in black. A very similar garb to the Angel of Death that just killed her. "Oh, crap."

"I told you, I need your help." Death said.

"What did you do to me?"

"It's a practical matter. If you're alive, you won't be able to help with the backlog, to take souls to where they have to go."

"No. Hold it. If you…."

"Do your job, and I'll return your soul." The Angel of Death held out his hand and a parchment appeared in it. "I suggest you get going. You've a lot of catching up to do."

Buffy grabbed the list from his hand. She barely glanced at it before turning to glare at the Angel of Death as he disappeared. Buffy, Piper, and Paige were left standing in the middle of the busy sidewalk in front of Buffy's dead body.


	62. Chapter 62

Chapter 62

The coroner's office wheeled out Arthur's body on a gurney from the alleyway. Across the street, Piper and Paige stood over Buffy's dead body on the sidewalk. Dead Buffy stood next to them. Obviously, no one else could see Buffy. Officers were putting up crime scene tape around the entire section of the sidewalk.

"Do something." Buffy said.

"What do you want us to do?" Paige asked. "It's easy for you to say, dude, you're dead."

"That's just crazy, cause I'm not supposed to be."

"What are you yelling at me for? It's not my issue!"

"Excuse me?" An inspector said.

"Yes." Paige and Piper said.

"Again, I'm sorry for your loss."

"It's ok." Piper said.

"Could you sound a little more upset, please?" Buffy asked.

"I mean, it's really sad. You know, I feel like my cousin's spirit is around me."

"Of course. Now, earlier, you told the officer that you three were walking by and your cousin just…. fell. No warning, nothing?"

"Yeah, no, no warning." Paige said.

"You didn't happen to notice the body in the alley there?"

"No, we didn't." Piper said.

A coroner walked up to the Inspector. "Uh, forensics is done. We're gonna take the bodies, if it's ok with you."

"Go ahead." The inspector said.

"Where are they taking me?" Buffy asked, panicking.

"Uh, where are you taking her?" Piper asked.

"To the morgue. After the autopsy, we'll release your cousin's body to you." The inspector said.

"Oh, no, no, they can't do that, they can't do that!" Buffy cried.

"Stop yelling in my ear." Paige snapped. "No. No, you can't do an autopsy because, you see, it's against our…. religion."

"I'm sorry." The inspector said. "This is a murder investigation. State law. If you think of anything that might be able to help, please, give us a call." The inspector handed Paige his card.

"Ok, starting to panic." Buffy said.

"Oh, no." Paige said.

"Oh, no? What can more be 'oh, no' than they're taking my body away for an autopsy?"

"Agent Brody." Piper said. She pointed to where Agent Brody was standing on the other side of the street.

"What's he doing here?"

"I don't know."

Phoebe walked out of the conservatory into the living room as Paige and Piper orbed in. "Where have you been? I was worried."

"Actually, we…." Paige started.

"Did you reverse the spell?"

"No, but someone has."

"What's going on? Where's Buffy?"

In a whisp of smoke, Buffy appeared. "Whoa."

"Whoa, how'd you do… What are you wearing?" Phoebe cried.

Buffy looked at Piper and Paige accusingly. "You didn't tell her."

"No. Ok, fine." Paige sighed. "Buffy's dead."

"What!" Phoebe cried.

"I'm not dead." Buffy argued. "I'm Death."

"What?"

"Ok, long story short. Death has temporarily recruited Buffy." Piper said.

Buffy held out her hand and a parchment appeared. "And now I have to collect all the souls on this list before the coroner starts cutting up my body."

"Cutting up your body?" Phoebe asked.

"Autopsy." Buffy looked down at the list and saw the various names of the dead. Right before her eyes, some names disappeared while new ones appeared on them. "Why are these names changing?"

"I don't know. Maybe we should call Leo." Piper said.

"Maybe we should call Death." Buffy suggested.

"So does this mean the demon's working at full force now?" Phoebe asked.

"If he is, why hasn't he attacked?" Paige asked.

"Excuse me. Hi." Buffy said. "Can we focus on the person with the non-dead problem over here?"

"Let me see that list." Phoebe asked.

"Well, it…."

Phoebe walked over to Buffy and grabbed the list from her. "So Sirk was killing his family members to become full demon, right? So that would mean he would have to get rid of his human soul."

"Huh?" Piper asked.

"Well, if he succeeded, Sirk's name would be on the dead list, right? And it's not."

"That would mean he has a family member alive somewhere." Paige said.

"Right. We have to track down that person before he does."

"Excuse me, I have souls to collect." Buffy said, taking the list back before disappearing.

"Where did she go?" Piper asked.

Suddenly, Leo and Angel orbed in. Angel was in a panic. "Turn on the TV!" He cried. Leo switched on the TV to a news report on KTMV6.

"It's unclear whether the death of local woman Buffy Summers is related to the Death of Chaplain Arthur Casey, but police insist every possibility is being investigated. We'll have more on this story at 11:00."

"What the hell is going on!" Angel cried. "Where's Buffy?"

"Relax." Phoebe said. "Buffy's been dead before."

"Not like this, not on the midday news." Leo said.

"What the hell is going on!" Angel cried.

"Well…." Phoebe looked at Piper and Paige.

"Buffy is now working with Death." Piper said.

"What?" Angel asked, shaking his head.

"Well, she and Death were arguing and then he recruited her to help him with his…. Backlog."

"Oh my god." Angel collapsed into a chair with the heel of his palm pressed to his forehead. "Where's her body?"

"Oh, uh…."

"." Paige said quickly before rushing off to answer the phone.

"WHAT!" Angel surged to his feet. "Are you kidding me! She can't…. You've got to…. How did this happen!"

"She argued with Death." Piper said.

"What if Alex finds out?"

"She's at Magic School with the boys."

Paige walked back into the room on the phone in mid-conversation. "We're very, very sorry, too. Thanks for your condolences. Bye." She hung up and looked at the others. "Ok, I think this is too big for even us to cover."

"What about the cleaners?" Angel asked.

"They won't help, not after last time." Leo said. "If Buffy suddenly wakes up in the morgue, you have to explain it."

"So what are we gonna do?" Paige asked.

"Well, we'll figure something out." Phoebe said. "We always do.

"And in the meantime, we have to find the demon before he kills another relative." Piper said.

"Ok, you know what? I'm gonna call Darryl and see if I can get him to postpone the autopsy."

"I'm gonna go to Magic School and stay with the kids." Leo said.

"Will you take me too?" Angel asked.

"Of course." Leo and Angel orbed out of the room just as the doorbell rang.

"All right, now what?" Phoebe groaned as she went to answer the door. She opened the door and was completely taken aback when she found Leslie St. Claire standing on her front porch. "Leslie. Hold that thought." She put her hand in the center of his chest and firmly pushed him back out of the house and closed the door on him.

"I thought you dealt with him." Piper said.

"No. I said I saw him. I did not say I dealt with him."

"Well, you need to get rid of him, because we have a little bit going on right now, ok?"

Phoebe growled as she headed back to the front door. Leslie was standing down on the bottom of the stairs. He turned to look at Phoebe. "I just can't believe it. You've gotta be in shock."

"Uh, yeah, you know, I am, but things happen, you know?" Phoebe said as they both sat on the stairs.

"I just don't understand. Was Buffy even sick?"

"No, she wasn't. It was all very sudden."

"You sure are handling this awfully well."

"Yeah, well, you know, I'm ok. Uh, it's hard, but I'm trying to stay strong for Piper and Paige…. And Angel. He's gonna need some help with Alex, you know?"

"I understand."

"There's just so much to do…."

"Well, can I help with anything?"

"I don't even know where to start."

"Well, it's always good to start with people you need to contact. I could help make a list."

"Wait…. what did you just say?"

"Make a list, you know, friends, family. People like that."

The front door opened and Paige stepped outside. "Phoebe, um, can we talk?"

Phoebe got to her feet and heads toward Paige. "Yes. Just one second." She turned to Leslie. "Thank you so much for coming by. I really appreciate it."

Leslie stood up. "I thought I was gonna help you make a list…."

"Yeah, I really need to spend some time with my sisters, you know."

"Well, of course. Um…. just call me if you need anything."

"I will. I will, definitely. Thanks." Phoebe hurriedly kissed Leslie. "Ok. Bye!" Leslie turned and started walking slowly back to his car.

Paige stepped forward toward Phoebe. "Ok. I struck out with Darryl."

"It doesn't matter. I think I know how to find out who the demon's going after next." Phoebe smiled and waved to Leslie.

"How?"

"Buffy's list. The name will be on it. Come on." Phoebe and Paige turned and headed back into the house where Piper was waiting.

Harriet Casey sat on the front pew in the military chapel. Sirk walked up behind her. "Harriet."

Harriet turned around. "Do I know you?"

In the next pew behind her, Sirk sat hunched over, his face covered. "We've never met. I'm Arthur's cousin Kevin." He looked up at Harriet, finally revealing the half of himself that was demonic. "But you can call me Sirk." Startled, Harriet stood and tried to make it to the chapel door, but Sirk grabbed her arm, stopping her. His hand went over her belly, sensing the child within. "Ah, so it's true. You are going to be a mother."

"How did you know?"

"I have many gifts, and unfortunately for you, I just need one more." Harriet pulled away from him. Sirk stood up and powered up an energy ball just as Buffy appeared next to Harriet. "Oh, no, you can't interfere. You're neutral."

"You're right. I can't." Buffy said. "But they can." She pointed behind Sirk where he turned to find Piper, Paige, and Phoebe standing behind him. Phoebe kicked him in the face, knocking him down to the ground.

Piper rushed over to Harriet. "Come on."

"It's ok." Paige said. "You're gonna be all right." She orbed them all out.

Sirk got to his feet and looked at Buffy. "So how did you…."

"Know?" Buffy asked. "I saw her name on the list." She held out her hand and the Death List appeared. "But it's not there anymore."

"It will be again. One way or another." Sirk shimmered out of the chapel.

Buffy looked at the list as it changed again. This time, a new name appeared at the top of the TO DIE list and it was a name she didn't want to see on there.

PHOEBE HALLIWELL.

Buffy, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe were talking in the great hall at Magic School. Angel hovered near Buffy, happy that he could actually see her. "Wait, so now you don't want me to help you vanquish the demon?" Phoebe asked. "I don't understand."

"Phoebe, that's not the issue." Buffy said.

"Names come and go off that list all the time. Harriet's did. So what's the big deal?"

"The big deal is sometimes the names don't come off the list."

"Well, ours does."

"Not always."

Leo walked into the Great Hall. "How's it going?" Paige asked him.

"She's resting." Leo said. He'd taken Harriet to a room to lie down. "It's a lot to swallow: Your husband's dead, magic exists, and, by the way, a demon's after you. How you guys holding up here?"

"Fine." Piper said.

"Once Phoebe realizes that she's better off here where she's safe." Buffy added.

"Oh, here they go again." Paige said.

"We've cheated death before, Buffy." Phoebe argued. "So why can't we do it again?"

"Because we can't this time. I can't." Buffy said.

"Maybe you should just listen to her." Piper said.

"Maybe she should focus on collecting the souls so her death isn't permanent."

"This is going nowhere!" Buffy cried. She turned and marched out.

"Where are you going?" Angel called.

"I'm not in the mood to lose another sister." Buffy vanished in a puff of smoke.

"So what's our next move?" Phoebe asked.

"Our next move is for you to stay here because you are on top of the list, you have no active powers, and Leo, Piper, and I are just going to go take care of the demon." Paige said. "Honey, you just need to accept it." Paige and Leo both orbed out with Piper.

Phoebe stood in the great hall and looked at Angel. "What do you think?"

"I think you need to stay here." Angel said. "They're right. You don't have any active powers to keep you safe and they can't keep an eye on you and fight a demon at the same time. It's too dangerous for all of you."

Phoebe grunted and followed Angel to the nursery.


	63. Chapter 63

Chapter 64

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe roamed around the dress shop looking at various formal dresses. Piper caught Buffy looking longingly at the wedding dresses on the other side of the store. "Hey."

Buffy smiled. "Hey."

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Why?"  
"Well, I don't think a wedding dress would be appropriate for the ballet. It's a little _too_ formal."

Buffy chuckled. "I know." She decided to change the subject and picked up a deep red dress. "What do you think of the color?"

"I like it. Is it for me or you?"

"Me."

"Then I definitely like it. But we're not moving off the subject of that look I just saw. What's up?"

Buffy sighed. "I was just thinking about how I'm never going to get married. You've got Leo. Phoebe's going to get married and have kids someday. But me?" She shook her head. "I'll never have more kids than Alex. Angel will never be human. He's stuck as a vampire bound to the night. And me? I'll always be a Slayer."

Piper hugged Buffy tightly. "Buffy, Angel doesn't have to be human to get married."

"I know, but…. He once told me that he doesn't feel that it's right to marry me and bind me to his fate."

"What did he mean by that?"

"I don't know."

"Listen, do you want to get married?"

"Someday."

"Then tell him that. And don't take no for an answer."

"Hey, Buffy." Phoebe called from behind them. "I found you a dress."

"Are you ok?" Angel asked Leo.

"Me?" Leo asked. "Uh…. Yeah."

"That wasn't very convincing. What's wrong?"

"It's just something Piper mentioned to me earlier."

"What's that?"

"I'm just the messenger, so promise you won't get mad at me?"

"I guess."

Leo paused for a moment, trying to think of what to say. "You're a man of many limitations. But you're a man. You've got a heart."

"Ok." Angel smiled slightly. "What are you getting at, Leo?"

"Buffy is…. She's one hell of a woman."

"I know."

"So why aren't you with her?"

"I am with her."

"I mean…. Why haven't you asked her to marry you?"

"I'm a vampire, Leo. I'm dead. People like Buffy don't marry dead people."

"'People like Buffy'? Care to explain that?"

"She's…."

"Completely in love with you."

Angel sighed and sat down. "What have I got to offer her?"

"Do I have to answer that? Angel, you don't want to miss your shot with her again."

"Jeez, what exactly did Piper say to you?"

"She just told me what she and Buffy talked about today at the dress shop."

"And that was?"

"Buffy wants to get married."

"Married? But she knows…."

"Come on, Angel. I'm a dead person, too. But I still married Piper."

"And that turned out great. You two have only broken up how many times?"

"That's not the point. I love Piper. She's my wife and always will be. I would do anything to be with her. I've done a lot _just_ to be with her. And Buffy's gone through a lot just to be with you."

"And I haven't?"

"I'm not saying that. But, Angel, Buffy loves you. She doesn't care if you're a vampire or if you're human. She doesn't see any of that. All she sees is the man that loves her, but won't marry her."

"Leo, Buffy, she's…."

"She's what?"

Both of men turned to look at Buffy standing in the doorway in a blood red dress. It was a strapless, empire waist dress that clung to her chest, but managed to still be fairly modest. The bottom of the dress from the empire waist down were loose layers of flowing chiffon material that fell to the floor and had a billowing train in the back that pooled beautifully when she stood still and swirled out gracefully when she walked.

"Wow." Angel said.

"Please don't drool on me." Buffy said with a chuckle.

"You look amazing."

"Thank you." Buffy's hair was in loose, bouncy curls and the front half of her hair was pulled back so the entire spill of gold poured down her back. Her makeup was very subtle, but her lips were the same shade as her dress which made her skin look like perfect porcelain. "Leo, Piper wanted you to make sure the kids were ok at Magic School before we left."

"Ok." Leo said, orbing out.

"What were you and Leo talking about?"

"Oh, uh…."

Before Angel could answer, the doorbell rang. "Buffy, would you get that!" Phoebe called.

Buffy rolled her eyes at being the youngest in the family and turned to go get the door. It was Leslie dressed in a nicely fitted tux and holding three bouquets of three red roses each. "Wow, Buffy. You look amazing."

"Thank you."

"Here." He handed her one of the three-rose bouquets. "There's one for Piper and one for Phoebe too."

"They'll be down in a minute. I didn't take very long to get ready."

Angel walked down the stairs. "Buffy, will you help me with this damn bowtie? Hey Leslie."

"Hi."

"Hold these." Buffy handed Angel the roses as she went to work on his bowtie.

A minute later, Leo escorted Phoebe and Piper down the stairs. Piper was wearing a black and white , high necked, high backed halter dress. The top from the empire waist up was white and the skirt, all the way down to the small train, was black. Her hair was straight and the front half was pinned up high in the back. Phoebe, on the other hand, was wearing a red charmeuse satin gown with thick straps, creating a deep v-neck, that was beaded at the shoulders and continued on the straps that crossed high on her back and then around to the front to create an empire waistline. There was another beaded band at the waist that circled around behind to Phoebe's lower back. The bottom of the dress was an a-line skirt with a side front slit and a medium length train.

"Wow." Leslie said. "Phoebe you look…."

"Like a ballet fan?" Phoebe asked.

"I was going with gorgeous, but I can use that too."

"Are those for me?"

"And Piper." Leslie handed Piper a three-rose bouquet.

"Thank you." Piper said.

"I got one too." Buffy said, taking hers back from Angel.

"That is so sweet." Phoebe said.

"Ok, guys, we need to get going." Angel said. "The ballet's not waiting for us."

They all settled into their seats up in the balcony section. Angel, Buffy, Piper, and Leo were sitting together in one row and Phoebe and Leslie had seats in the row just behind them. "Sorry they're not closer." Angel said. "Getting five seats together…."

"Don't be silly." Leo said. "We get the whole panorama from here."

"Besides, back here we stand less chance of setting off the 'under seventy' alarm." Buffy said with a playful smile.

"Back in the day I'd always get box seats." Angel said. Then he lowered his voice for only Buffy and Piper to hear and said, "Or I'd just eat the people who had them."

"Ok, don't let's reminisce. We're here. Enjoy."

As the curtain opened and the ballet began, Buffy looked around at all the people. There was a man dressed in an out-of-century tux and a big amulet around his neck sitting in a box by the stage. She had a brief image of Angelus appearing and taking the box by force before shaking her head and returning her attention to the ballet.

The act came to an end and people began to applaud. The six of them walked out into the lobby and Leslie excused himself to go to the bathroom. "They're living up to their reputation." Leo said. "Has the choreography changed much since…."

"No." Angel said with a frown. "Nothing's changed."

Phoebe nodded approvingly. "Well, that's cool that they're able to…."

"No. I mean, nothing's changed. These are the same dancers I saw before."

"That's impossible." Piper said. "We're watching the exact same troupe you saw in nineteen-ninety?"

"I think he said eighteen-ninety." Phoebe said.

"Oh. That's much more impossible."

"So, somebody wanna tell me how we're watching a show starring people who should have died sixty years ago?"

"So what are we thinking?" Piper asked. "Vampires?"

"Well, they're not a deeply tanned bunch." Phoebe said.

"No. I'd know. I'd sense it." Angel said. "We'd sense it." He indicated himself and Buffy.

"He's right. They're not vampires." Buffy said. "We should check it out."

"Maybe after the show we should head backstage?" Leo suggested.

"I was thinking now. You guys should go back. Angel and I'll take snoop patrol."

The lights flickered and a soft chiming sounded to indicate the end of the intermission. Buffy and Angel headed off to the backstage entrance just as Leslie walked up. "Hey, where are they going?"

"Oh, uh…. They saw a friend and they wanted to go say hi." Phoebe said.

"They'll catch up." Piper said, leading the way back to their seats.

Angel and Buffy descended a set of stairs and spotted a burly security guard standing in front of the backstage door. "Awful lot of muscle for a ballet company." Buffy said. "So, do you want me to distract him while you slip by?"

"Don't be stupid." Angel said. "I'm that guy and the most beautiful girl I've ever seen is making eyes at me? It's either bachelor party or a scam. I think I'll just have to go with my patented sudden burst of violence."

"Can I try an approach that's a little more subtle, first?" Angel shrugged and Buffy walked up to the guard. "Hi! Do you like bribes?"

The guard smiled wolfishly. "Do I ever."

"Well, we really wanna go backstage."

"Where's the money?"

Buffy laughed. "Does this look like a dress you could put money in? Please."

Angel sighed and punched the guard in the face. "Ok. That's how we do it."

"I was hoping to avoid that." They walked through the door into a seemingly endless hallway. "You saw the building as we drove by, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Do you remember it going on forever?"

"It's clearly a spell, or a time flux, or something. I don't think we wanna be rushing in here."

"Lets get Phoebe, Piper, and Leo and we can talk options." They turned back to the door they'd just came through, but there was just another corridor, stretching on forever.

"Well, it works in theory."

Buffy sighed. "Shall we?"

"Don't suppose we have any other option."

"So," They started walking down the hall. "Do we just start opening doors?"

"I'll take this side." Angel said, turning to the right.

"And I get the left." Buffy turned to the left and they worked their way down the hall opening and closing doors.

Finally, Angel opened one of the doors and found something interesting. "Buffy." She turned and followed him in to the room. "This is her dressing room."

"The prima ballerina." Buffy said, looking around.

"It's unchanged."

"You came in here?" Angel shook his head as Buffy sat down at the dressing table and picked up a little chain with a cross on it. "She would wait for him here."

"It's warm. It's very warm."

"I feel it."

"Something happened here."

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to undress me."

"Now's really not…. Not the time."

"It's just another costume. I want you to see who I really am. You're the only one who can."

Angel shook his head. "I…. This isn't us. We're acting this out. Someone is…."

"Wow, how inappropriate was that? Did I really just ask you to undress me?"

Angel moved closer. "Is that what you want?"

"Please…. I…."

"You want me to make love to you right here?"

"You know I do."

Angel caressed Buffy's cheek and leaned in closer. "But you're afraid."

"What if he finds us?"

"I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of anything."

"I'm only alive when you're inside me."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss. After a long breathless moment, there was a hissing sound and Angel pulled away. "Buffy…."

"We so need to be out of here."

"Yes."

They were both breathing fast as they moved back together. "This isn't out of here."

"I know. Right." Remaining on the verge of another kiss they moved across the room. Buffy turned so that her back was to Angel, thinking it would make it easier, but of its own volition, on of her arms moved up behind his neck. "Open the door."

"Kinda hard."

"Kinda noticed."

Never losing his touch on Buffy's body with one hand, Angel reached around and twisted the door handle with his other. They hurried through the open door and Angel slammed it shut behind them.

"Whoa!" Buffy sighed.

Angel leaned against the door. "That's a fair assessment."

"What the hell is that place?"

"There's spirits in there. Energy trapped in time. It took us over."

"Why is it always us that gets possessed by dead lovers?"

"It's a curse."

"It wears off right away." She sounded a bit disappointed as they moved on down the hall.


	64. Chapter 64

Chapter 64

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe roamed around the dress shop looking at various formal dresses. Piper caught Buffy looking longingly at the wedding dresses on the other side of the store. "Hey."

Buffy smiled. "Hey."

"What's up?"

"Nothing. Why?"  
"Well, I don't think a wedding dress would be appropriate for the ballet. It's a little _too_ formal."

Buffy chuckled. "I know." She decided to change the subject and picked up a deep red dress. "What do you think of the color?"

"I like it. Is it for me or you?"

"Me."

"Then I definitely like it. But we're not moving off the subject of that look I just saw. What's up?"

Buffy sighed. "I was just thinking about how I'm never going to get married. You've got Leo. Phoebe's going to get married and have kids someday. But me?" She shook her head. "I'll never have more kids than Alex. Angel will never be human. He's stuck as a vampire bound to the night. And me? I'll always be a Slayer."

Piper hugged Buffy tightly. "Buffy, Angel doesn't have to be human to get married."

"I know, but…. He once told me that he doesn't feel that it's right to marry me and bind me to his fate."

"What did he mean by that?"

"I don't know."

"Listen, do you want to get married?"

"Someday."

"Then tell him that. And don't take no for an answer."

"Hey, Buffy." Phoebe called from behind them. "I found you a dress."

"Are you ok?" Angel asked Leo.

"Me?" Leo asked. "Uh…. Yeah."

"That wasn't very convincing. What's wrong?"

"It's just something Piper mentioned to me earlier."

"What's that?"

"I'm just the messenger, so promise you won't get mad at me?"

"I guess."

Leo paused for a moment, trying to think of what to say. "You're a man of many limitations. But you're a man. You've got a heart."

"Ok." Angel smiled slightly. "What are you getting at, Leo?"

"Buffy is…. She's one hell of a woman."

"I know."

"So why aren't you with her?"

"I am with her."

"I mean…. Why haven't you asked her to marry you?"

"I'm a vampire, Leo. I'm dead. People like Buffy don't marry dead people."

"'People like Buffy'? Care to explain that?"

"She's…."

"Completely in love with you."

Angel sighed and sat down. "What have I got to offer her?"

"Do I have to answer that? Angel, you don't want to miss your shot with her again."

"Jeez, what exactly did Piper say to you?"

"She just told me what she and Buffy talked about today at the dress shop."

"And that was?"

"Buffy wants to get married."

"Married? But she knows…."

"Come on, Angel. I'm a dead person, too. But I still married Piper."

"And that turned out great. You two have only broken up how many times?"

"That's not the point. I love Piper. She's my wife and always will be. I would do anything to be with her. I've done a lot _just_ to be with her. And Buffy's gone through a lot just to be with you."

"And I haven't?"

"I'm not saying that. But, Angel, Buffy loves you. She doesn't care if you're a vampire or if you're human. She doesn't see any of that. All she sees is the man that loves her, but won't marry her."

"Leo, Buffy, she's…."

"She's what?"

Both of men turned to look at Buffy standing in the doorway in a blood red dress. It was a strapless, empire waist dress that clung to her chest, but managed to still be fairly modest. The bottom of the dress from the empire waist down were loose layers of flowing chiffon material that fell to the floor and had a billowing train in the back that pooled beautifully when she stood still and swirled out gracefully when she walked.

"Wow." Angel said.

"Please don't drool on me." Buffy said with a chuckle.

"You look amazing."

"Thank you." Buffy's hair was in loose, bouncy curls and the front half of her hair was pulled back so the entire spill of gold poured down her back. Her makeup was very subtle, but her lips were the same shade as her dress which made her skin look like perfect porcelain. "Leo, Piper wanted you to make sure the kids were ok at Magic School before we left."

"Ok." Leo said, orbing out.

"What were you and Leo talking about?"

"Oh, uh…."

Before Angel could answer, the doorbell rang. "Buffy, would you get that!" Phoebe called.

Buffy rolled her eyes at being the youngest in the family and turned to go get the door. It was Leslie dressed in a nicely fitted tux and holding three bouquets of three red roses each. "Wow, Buffy. You look amazing."

"Thank you."

"Here." He handed her one of the three-rose bouquets. "There's one for Piper and one for Phoebe too."

"They'll be down in a minute. I didn't take very long to get ready."

Angel walked down the stairs. "Buffy, will you help me with this damn bowtie? Hey Leslie."

"Hi."

"Hold these." Buffy handed Angel the roses as she went to work on his bowtie.

A minute later, Leo escorted Phoebe and Piper down the stairs. Piper was wearing a black and white , high necked, high backed halter dress. The top from the empire waist up was white and the skirt, all the way down to the small train, was black. Her hair was straight and the front half was pinned up high in the back. Phoebe, on the other hand, was wearing a red charmeuse satin gown with thick straps, creating a deep v-neck, that was beaded at the shoulders and continued on the straps that crossed high on her back and then around to the front to create an empire waistline. There was another beaded band at the waist that circled around behind to Phoebe's lower back. The bottom of the dress was an a-line skirt with a side front slit and a medium length train.

"Wow." Leslie said. "Phoebe you look…."

"Like a ballet fan?" Phoebe asked.

"I was going with gorgeous, but I can use that too."

"Are those for me?"

"And Piper." Leslie handed Piper a three-rose bouquet.

"Thank you." Piper said.

"I got one too." Buffy said, taking hers back from Angel.

"That is so sweet." Phoebe said.

"Ok, guys, we need to get going." Angel said. "The ballet's not waiting for us."

They all settled into their seats up in the balcony section. Angel, Buffy, Piper, and Leo were sitting together in one row and Phoebe and Leslie had seats in the row just behind them. "Sorry they're not closer." Angel said. "Getting five seats together…."

"Don't be silly." Leo said. "We get the whole panorama from here."

"Besides, back here we stand less chance of setting off the 'under seventy' alarm." Buffy said with a playful smile.

"Back in the day I'd always get box seats." Angel said. Then he lowered his voice for only Buffy and Piper to hear and said, "Or I'd just eat the people who had them."

"Ok, don't let's reminisce. We're here. Enjoy."

As the curtain opened and the ballet began, Buffy looked around at all the people. There was a man dressed in an out-of-century tux and a big amulet around his neck sitting in a box by the stage. She had a brief image of Angelus appearing and taking the box by force before shaking her head and returning her attention to the ballet.

The act came to an end and people began to applaud. The six of them walked out into the lobby and Leslie excused himself to go to the bathroom. "They're living up to their reputation." Leo said. "Has the choreography changed much since…."

"No." Angel said with a frown. "Nothing's changed."

Phoebe nodded approvingly. "Well, that's cool that they're able to…."

"No. I mean, nothing's changed. These are the same dancers I saw before."

"That's impossible." Piper said. "We're watching the exact same troupe you saw in nineteen-ninety?"

"I think he said eighteen-ninety." Phoebe said.

"Oh. That's much more impossible."

"So, somebody wanna tell me how we're watching a show starring people who should have died sixty years ago?"

"So what are we thinking?" Piper asked. "Vampires?"

"Well, they're not a deeply tanned bunch." Phoebe said.

"No. I'd know. I'd sense it." Angel said. "We'd sense it." He indicated himself and Buffy.

"He's right. They're not vampires." Buffy said. "We should check it out."

"Maybe after the show we should head backstage?" Leo suggested.

"I was thinking now. You guys should go back. Angel and I'll take snoop patrol."

The lights flickered and a soft chiming sounded to indicate the end of the intermission. Buffy and Angel headed off to the backstage entrance just as Leslie walked up. "Hey, where are they going?"

"Oh, uh…. They saw a friend and they wanted to go say hi." Phoebe said.

"They'll catch up." Piper said, leading the way back to their seats.

Angel and Buffy descended a set of stairs and spotted a burly security guard standing in front of the backstage door. "Awful lot of muscle for a ballet company." Buffy said. "So, do you want me to distract him while you slip by?"

"Don't be stupid." Angel said. "I'm that guy and the most beautiful girl I've ever seen is making eyes at me? It's either bachelor party or a scam. I think I'll just have to go with my patented sudden burst of violence."

"Can I try an approach that's a little more subtle, first?" Angel shrugged and Buffy walked up to the guard. "Hi! Do you like bribes?"

The guard smiled wolfishly. "Do I ever."

"Well, we really wanna go backstage."

"Where's the money?"

Buffy laughed. "Does this look like a dress you could put money in? Please."

Angel sighed and punched the guard in the face. "Ok. That's how we do it."

"I was hoping to avoid that." They walked through the door into a seemingly endless hallway. "You saw the building as we drove by, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Do you remember it going on forever?"

"It's clearly a spell, or a time flux, or something. I don't think we wanna be rushing in here."

"Lets get Phoebe, Piper, and Leo and we can talk options." They turned back to the door they'd just came through, but there was just another corridor, stretching on forever.

"Well, it works in theory."

Buffy sighed. "Shall we?"

"Don't suppose we have any other option."

"So," They started walking down the hall. "Do we just start opening doors?"

"I'll take this side." Angel said, turning to the right.

"And I get the left." Buffy turned to the left and they worked their way down the hall opening and closing doors.

Finally, Angel opened one of the doors and found something interesting. "Buffy." She turned and followed him in to the room. "This is her dressing room."

"The prima ballerina." Buffy said, looking around.

"It's unchanged."

"You came in here?" Angel shook his head as Buffy sat down at the dressing table and picked up a little chain with a cross on it. "She would wait for him here."

"It's warm. It's very warm."

"I feel it."

"Something happened here."

"Angel?"

"Yeah?"

"I want you to undress me."

"Now's really not…. Not the time."

"It's just another costume. I want you to see who I really am. You're the only one who can."

Angel shook his head. "I…. This isn't us. We're acting this out. Someone is…."

"Wow, how inappropriate was that? Did I really just ask you to undress me?"

Angel moved closer. "Is that what you want?"

"Please…. I…."

"You want me to make love to you right here?"

"You know I do."

Angel caressed Buffy's cheek and leaned in closer. "But you're afraid."

"What if he finds us?"

"I'm not afraid. I'm not afraid of anything."

"I'm only alive when you're inside me."

Their lips met in a passionate kiss. After a long breathless moment, there was a hissing sound and Angel pulled away. "Buffy…."

"We so need to be out of here."

"Yes."

They were both breathing fast as they moved back together. "This isn't out of here."

"I know. Right." Remaining on the verge of another kiss they moved across the room. Buffy turned so that her back was to Angel, thinking it would make it easier, but of its own volition, on of her arms moved up behind his neck. "Open the door."

"Kinda hard."

"Kinda noticed."

Never losing his touch on Buffy's body with one hand, Angel reached around and twisted the door handle with his other. They hurried through the open door and Angel slammed it shut behind them.

"Whoa!" Buffy sighed.

Angel leaned against the door. "That's a fair assessment."

"What the hell is that place?"

"There's spirits in there. Energy trapped in time. It took us over."

"Why is it always us that gets possessed by dead lovers?"

"It's a curse."

"It wears off right away." She sounded a bit disappointed as they moved on down the hall.


	65. Chapter 65

Chapter 65

Angel and Buffy were wandering down the hallway, trying to find their way to the stage. "Are you sure this is the way?" Buffy asked.

"I'm sure it's _a_ way. Place is a maze. I'm just hoping there's another room. We can just go…."

"Damn it!"

"What?"

"I said something back in that room. It was something important. I can't place my finger on it, though. Do you remember what it was?"

"Um…. You…. you're only alive when I-I'm…."

Buffy shot Angel a playful glare. "Not that."

Angel chuckled and then snapped his fingers. "Oh! I said you were afraid."

"And I said…. What if he finds us?"

"She had a secret lover."

"They were afraid of someone. And I'll bet you anything that someone is the reason why we're stuck here! We left too soon. Those spirits or…. or energy or…. or whatever are still in there. So we can figure out what happened. We have to go back in!"

"I'm marveling at the wrongness of that idea."

"Why?"

"Well, Buffy, it's kinda been a little while since we've…. You know, since we're both busy with Alex and I've got work at P3…."

"You don't wanna have sex with me?"

"It's not that. It's just…. It's been awhile and one of us might go too far which leads the other one of us too far and then we're all the way and not focused on getting out of here."

Buffy's brows drew together and her mouth turned down in an agitated frown. "So you'd rather wander around backstage like Spinal Tap for the next ever instead of having sex with me?"

"No! That's not what I'm saying, I just…."

"Fine. All we have to do is play the scene. Get in, get out. No one gets happy. And for a little extra protection," Buffy pulled out the necklace with the cross and held it up. "I've got my little cross if things get out of hand." She turned on her heel and marched off, obviously angry with him.

Leo leaned over to Piper and whispered, "They've been gone a long time."

"What are we supposed to do?" Piper asked.

"Go find them. What if they're in trouble?"

"We're just gonna leave Leslie here?"

"Tell you what, you and Phoebe go. I'll stay here with Leslie. If you need my help, call me and I'll go to the bathroom and orb to you."

"Works for me." Piper stood up. "Come on, Phoebe."

"Where are we going?" Phoebe asked.

"Emergency bathroom break." Piper pulled Phoebe along and they followed the path that Angel and Buffy had taken backstage. They walked down the stairs and found the guard knocked out cold.

"Why do they have a guard?"

"Who knows? But this is obviously Buffy and Angel's handiwork. Come on." Piper led the way through the door and gasped. "Oh crap."

"What…. Oh!" Phoebe found herself staring down an endless hall. "No wonder they haven't come back. They can't find their _way_ back."

"Let's go get Leo." Piper turned only to find another part of the endless hall and not the door they'd just come through. "Greeeeeat."

Phoebe took Piper's hand. "Come on."

Buffy and Angel were back in the dressing room. Angel was holding Buffy to him trying to make the energy return. "Anything coming?"

"Not hardly. Ok." Buffy took a deep breath. "Let's take it from the middle. I want you to undress me."

"You want me to have sex now with you here."

"Yes, but I'm scared."

"But you're afraid."

"What if he finds us?"

"Well, I'm not afraid of anything."

"Only good inside, blah, blah, blah…."

"Maybe it only works the one time. You know, when the energy…."

Buffy reached up and pulled Angel into a passionate kiss. The cross necklace dropped from her fingers behind Angel's back.

Piper and Phoebe were walking the corridors, searching for Buffy and Angel. "This is so not right." Phoebe said.

"Do you hear it too?" Piper asked.

"There's definitely something weird going on here."

"Yeah no kidding." From further down the hall, they heard low moaning sounds. "Sounds like someone's in pain."

"That or someone's in fun."

"Come on, Phoebe!"

"What?" Phoebe laughed.

"We should call Leo."

"Would he even be able to find us?"

"We have to try something. Leo!" Piper waited a minute before calling again. "Leo!" Suddenly, Leo just appeared next to them, causing them to jump.

"How'd you do that?" Phoebe asked, holding a hand to her chest.

"I don't know." Leo looked around. "I orbed to where you guys were…. Or you were supposed to be and you weren't there. And then the room flickered and now I'm…. here. Where is here?"

Before anyone could answer, a man-shaped thing in a gray tragedy mask appeared behind Phoebe. She let out a cry as the thing stabbed her from behind with a sword.

"Phoebe!" Piper cried, blowing up the tragedy masked thing.

Leo went to heal her, but another thing in a comedy mask pulled him away.

Angel laid Buffy back on the lounge in the ballerina's dressing room. He laid kisses everywhere on her neck and chest that wasn't covered by her dress. "This is wrong." Buffy said.

"Hush." Angel whispered against her skin, causing a shudder.

"You don't know him. He has power."

"The power to do this?" Angel's fingers disappeared underneath the layers of her dress and Buffy gasped in pleaser.

"Stephan, his power is unnatural. He could…."

"What? Kill us?"

"Worse."

"Kurskov owns the company. He doesn't own you."

"He doesn't know that." Buffy sat up, moving Angel away from her. "He thinks I'm his. That I dance for him. He is nothing but a deluded fan. He thinks I love him."  
"Come away with me. Now. Tonight. We'll disappear. Even he won't find us."

"I…. Stephan, everything I worked for is here."

"You can still dance."

"Can I? I don't…. Not yet. Maybe when we're…."

"Don't. Don't make promises."

"Help me. Help me be not afraid." Buffy sank back onto the lounge and Angel went back to kissing her exposed skin. His hands moved across her torso and vanished behind her back. The zipper was easy to undo and he pulled the dress down to her waist. He was working his way south of Buffy's navel when she gasped and sat up. "Oh, no!" Angel straightened up just in time to get knocked to the floor by a comedy mask. Buffy peeked over the back of the lounge and watched as the comedy mask hit Angel across the chin with a hard right. Angel hit back, knocking the comedy mask to the floor.

Buffy struggled to pull her dress back into place and get it zipped up. "I'm guessing they were probably interrupted by this Count Kurskov, or his lackeys, right?" Holding tightly to her dress, Buffy ducked as Angel charged at the lounge and launched himself over, tackling the tragedy mask set to attack her from behind. The comedy mask lunged at Buffy, but she grabbed him with one arm and threw him over her. She got to her feet, still clutching the dress to her chest and grabbed anything and everything she could throw at the thing. Behind her, Angel had the tragedy mask on the floor, choking it. The comedy mask brought out a sword and slashed at Buffy.

"A little help!" Buffy called, dodging out of the way as she desperately tried to hold her dress up.

The tragedy mask pulled out a stiletto and stabbed Angel through the heart with it. "Thank you." Angel said as he pulled out the stiletto, punched the tragedy mask, then stabbed it through the heart with the sword redirected from a stab at Buffy. At the same time, Buffy took the stiletto and threw it to skewer the comedy mask through the throat.

"You alright?" Angel asked as he zipped up Buffy's dress.

"Thanks. Yeah. We've gotta get out of here."

"You think they're not dead?"

Buffy rolled her eyes. "You just looked really hot doing that."

"Oh."

"Yeah."

"Run."

They jumped up and ran out the room, Angel taking the sword with him.

"Where the hell did Leo go?" Piper asked as she blew up another masked creep.

"It's ok, Piper." Phoebe said. "It didn't go deep and I don't think it hit anything vital."

Piper put her hand to Phoebe's shoulder and came back with blood on her fingers. "Phoebe, you're still bleeding."

"We just need to find Buffy and Angel before we worry about me."

Just then, Angel and Buffy ran in. "You guys alright?" Angel asked.

"Phoebe got stabbed." Piper said.

"Phoebs…." Buffy rushed over to her cousin.

"Did it ruin the dress?" Phoebe asked.

"Not yet. But if you don't get it healed soon…. Where's Leo?"

"He disappeared after we got attacked." Piper said.

"These are the same guys that attacked us." Angel asked.

"So, any idea on where we are or even what the hell?" Phoebe asked.

"Buffy and I hit kind of a mystical hotspot back in one of the dressing rooms."

"Well, it seems the prima ballerina had a lover back in the day." Buffy said. "And there was this Count Kurskov, who owned the company, and I guess he had a thing for the girl and they were seriously afraid of him."

"He had powers of some kind."

"He was a wizard." Leo said. They all turned to see him standing on the threshold of one of the corridors archways, a sword carried loosely by his side. "He was obsessed with the girl. When he found her with the other man, he went insane with jealous rage. He pulled her out of time and any reality beyond his theater…. his company. He swore she would dance for him forever."

Piper walked over to her husband. "How did you…."

"I hit a hotspot, too."

"And now we're stuck here?" Phoebe asked as Leo walked over to heal her.

"This kind of temporal shift can't just exist. It has to be maintained. That requires power and concentration."

"So, we break the spell." Piper said. "But how?"

"If we can overload him somehow, we might be able to slip back to the real world."

"Great. So, how do we overload him?" Angel asked.

"I think that requires at least some energy." Buffy said, pointing to where one of the dead minions was slowly rising. The thing began to shake and then split in two. One was wearing a tragedy mask and sobbing, the other was wearing a comedy mask and laughing. Angel grabbed them both in a head lock under each arm and broke both their necks. As soon as they hit the floor they started shivering and splitting each into a new pair of theater minions.

"The more we kill, the more he makes." Piper said.

"Look!" Phoebe pointed. For a moment the wall of the corridor wavered, revealing another reality behind it.

"That _is_ draining his energy." Leo said.

"Angel, you and I'll try and find a way to the stage." Buffy said. "I know where the count is."

"I bet he has a box." Angel said.

"Actually, he does." Buffy marched ahead of him, still feeling a little pissed at him.

"Guys." Leo called. "Find his power center and destroy it. We'll try and loosen his hold."

"By making more monsters?" Piper groaned.

A minion came up the corridor and Buffy kicked it in the head full force, breaking its neck before heading past it. "She's pissed." Phoebe said as they backed up to a wall.


	66. Chapter 66

Chapter 66

"Why do I get the feeling that you're mad at me?" Angel asked as they wandered down the hallway. The entire place was flickering back and forth between one reality and the next.

"Maybe because I am." Buffy said.

"Why?"

"Why do you think?"

Angel stopped and stared at her. "Is it because I haven't proposed to you?" Buffy turned and stared back at Angel incredulously. "Well, is it?"

"Actually, I'm a pissed about our argument earlier, but now that you bring it up…. Why haven't you proposed to me?"

"You know why."

"Yeah, and it's a load of crap." Buffy turned on her heel to walk away, but she got caught up in the train of her dress and fell backwards towards the wall. Just as she was about to hit it, the wall flickered and she fell _through_ the wall.

"Buffy!" The wall next to Angel flickered, and after a split second's hesitation, he leapt through it and landed in the wings off the stage. Buffy was picking herself up and brushing her dress off. "Are you ok?"

"I'm fine." Buffy turned and saw the prima ballerina standing just off stage. At the same time the ballerina also came dancing off the stage, her image shivering and dissolving as she passed from the view of the theater audience.

The ballerina turned around and she stared at them. "Who are you? There's no one…. You're new."

"I'm pretty old, actually." Angel said. "I've seen you dance before."

"Everyone sees me."

"It was Giselle then, as well."

"Always."

Buffy looked past the ballerina and saws Kurskov up in his box. She pointed him out to Angel. As he turned to look, Buffy looked at the ballerina. "I know what's happening. Count Kurskov is punishing you."

"He made me. He owns me. And when I dance it is only for him."

Buffy jumped when the air shivered beside Angel and a row of dancers materialized and passed out onto the stage. She turned back to the ballerina. "Do you believe that?"  
"It really doesn't matter. I'll dance. I'll wait here. And then I'll dance again. That's all."

"A hundred years doing the same piece every night. Is that enough? What about Stephan?"

"I waited too long. I should have gone when he asked me, should have disappeared, but…. I wanted this. This dance, this…. I hesitated and…. I lost everything that mattered. Now all I do is wait."

"You dance." Angel said.  
"There is a section in the first act, during the courtship dance, where my foot slips. My ankle's turned and…. and I don't quite hold every time. He doesn't notice. He doesn't even know ballet that well. But always, at that same moment, I slip. It isn't just the same ballet. It's the same performance. I don't dance. I echo. Please can you make it stop?"

Angel reached out his hand towards the stage and it vanished from view in mid-air. "We can help you. But you have to do something."

"What?"

"Change the ending. Dance something new." Buffy said.

"I can't."

"He doesn't control all this, Nakia." The ballerina looked at Buffy, surprised that she knew her name. Buffy had learned the name from the energy in Nakia's dressing room. "He's losing it." The 1890 backstage dissolved for a moment into the present day stage as if to make Buffy's point. "But you have to take the stage. It's not too late. You can change things."

The ballerina looked from Buffy to the stage. For a moment, it seemed like she wouldn't do it. Finally, she slowly stepped towards the stage and went out. She began to dance around the lead dancer, lying stretched out in the middle of the stage, as the rest of the company left the stage. She raised her head from bowing down over the fallen body to look towards Buffy and Angel, waiting in the wings. She stepped back and moved to a different pose.

Up in his box, Kurskov jumped up out of his chair. "No!"

As Nakia began to dance again the body of the lead dancer shivered and dissolved. She stopped, holding a pose, and looked defiantly up at Kurskov. Buffy used Prue's powers to yank Kurskov out of his box and down onto the stage. Angel ran out and grabbed him by the lapels, pulling him to the other side of the stage.

"Hey, where's your power center?" Angel asked.

"How dare you?"

"I'll guess." Angel smashed the jewel in the center of the Russian cross-shaped medal hanging around Kurskov's neck.

A wave of blue light raced out, washing over Nakia on the stage. She looked up at Buffy as the Slayer made her way over to Angel and Kurskov from behind the curtain upstage. Buffy gave her a slight nod and she sank down, folding her body on top of her outstretched leg before dissolving away.

"You have no right." Kurskov said.

"Save it." Buffy said as the audience began to applaud.

"She was my love. She danced only for me!"

"Yeah. You love her that much?" Angel punched Kurskov, dropping him to the stage again. "Start a website."

Piper led the way into the house and Angel, the last one through, shut the door behind everyone. "Why can't we have a normal night out?" Piper asked, plopping down onto the couch.

"It's just not our destiny." Phoebe said, sitting across from Piper.

Buffy sat down next to Piper and laid her head down on the arm of the couch. "Is Leslie mad we all ditched him?"

"I don't think so. I told him that Piper and I were in there for so long because there was a spot on Piper's dress."

"What did you tell him when you left, Leo?" Piper asked.  
"Just that I was going to check on you two." Leo said.

"So, Nakia is free?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah." Buffy said. "She was more than ready for it."

"Poor thing. Stuck in that world for eternity."

"She was pretty miserable and starting to believe that it was her fault she was stuck there."

"That's not even right." Piper said. "No one should feel like that because of a lunatic stalker."

"No one should feel like that because of anything." Phoebe said. "Kurskov was right up there with abusive husbands."

"Speaking of husbands, mine needs to go get the kids." Piper said pointedly to Leo. He smiled and orbed out.

"I need to get out of this dress." Phoebe said, standing up.

"Ditto." Buffy said, following suit. "Especially before Alex gets back." They disappeared upstairs and Piper looked at Leo.

"She's so pissed at you." Piper said. Angel could only sigh. "You know, there are two things you can do to make her happy again."

"And what's that?" Angel asked.

"Propose to her and then…. Show her how much you love her."

Angel shoved his hands in his pockets as deep as he could get them. "Piper…."

"Don't hand me any crap. There are ways around you being dead."

"But…."

Piper held up a hand. "Don't wanna hear it."

"I…."

"Nope."

Angel rolled his eyes. "What _do_ you want to hear?"

"I want to hear you telling me what kind of ring to buy since you can't exactly go out when the jewelry stores are open." Piper paused. "Actually, I just want you to give me the money and _Phoebe and I_ will go looking for you. I mean, we know her pretty damn well."

"So do I."

"Did I say you didn't?" Piper stood up. "But we're also women and we know more about what we want than you do."

"But I've been around for 250 years." Angel called after her as she walked up the stairs.

"And?" She shot back.

Phoebe, Piper, and Paige sat on the stairs and eavesdropped on Buffy and Angel's romantic dinner. After spending three days searching for the perfect ring and another two weeks waiting for it to come in, Angel was _finally_ proposing to Buffy. He'd had Piper help him cook a big romantic dinner while Phoebe and Paige distracted Buffy with a shopping spree. Then Leo had helped him sprinkle red rose petals with glitter on them all over the table and put up vanilla candles everywhere to light the room.

For dessert, Piper had filled six puff pastries with French vanilla crème and laid out the cut strawberries in a fan on top of the crème and then placed the top of the puff pastry on top. The ring was laid out on the fan of strawberries in one of the pastries. Phoebe and Piper had picked out a 1.5 karat heart shaped diamond on an 18 karat white gold ring with a ¼ karat princess cut diamond on each side of the heart. It hadn't been cheap, but Angel had been stocking up money in Swiss banks for over 200 years.

"So," Buffy said as Angel walked back in with the dessert plates. "It's been a little more than two weeks since I was mad at you. Why are you apologizing now?"

"I had to figure out the right way to do it." Angel said, setting her plate down in front of her.

Buffy looked up at him in confusion. "'The right way to do it'? A simple 'sorry, honey' would've done it."

"Not in this instance."

"What made it so different?"

"You were right."

"Ok. That's happened before."

"Would you just enjoy this and stop questioning everything?" Angel sat down with his plate and grabbed a fork.

Buffy sighed. "Angel, you don't need to put on a show to apologize to me. I'm a simple kind of girl."

Angel smiled charmingly. "I can't do something nice for you for a change?"

"It's a little suspicious."

"Why?"

"Because you're not that spontaneous. You plan everything out."

"I'm spontaneous…. You know, in a fight."

"That's different. You have to be."

"So, I'm not allowed to be romantically spontaneous?"

"Not really, no."

"Are you just being difficult?"

Buffy smiled. "Maybe." She took a bite of her dessert.

Angel chuckled and ate the top off the pastry in front of him. He looked down and realized he'd given Buffy the wrong plate. "Oh, um…."

"What's wrong? You don't like it?"

"No, I um…. Can I have your plate?"

"What? No. Why?"

"I just…. I don't want this plate. I meant to give this one to you."

Buffy's eyebrows lifted. "Are you planning to poison me or something?"

"Or something." Angel reached across the table to pick up her plate, but she pulled it back with a laugh.

"Why are you so hard up for my plate?"

"Because I don't want this plate that I've got. It's your plate."

Buffy looked between the two plates, unable to see the ring from her vantage point. "They're the same, Angel."

"I…. I know. But I want that plate."

"I've already eaten off of it."

"I don't care."

"I do. I'm not trading plates with you."

Angel stood up and went to take her plate from her. "Would you just give me the plate please?"

Buffy stood up and moved further down the table. "No."

"Buffy…." He gave chase and Buffy ended up around on Angel's side of the table.

She looked down at his plate and the one she was holding fell to the floor. "Oh my god…."

Piper, Phoebe, and Paige rushed in. "Is everything ok?" Piper asked.

"I…." Buffy looked at Angel. "What is this?"

"It was supposed to be a proposal." Angel said.

"A…. What?" She turned to look at her cousins. "You guys knew?"

"Yeah." Phoebe was grinning from ear to ear.

"He hasn't proposed yet." Paige said, pulling Piper and Phoebe backwards.

"No." Angel said. "Stay. It's ruined now."

"Oh!" Buffy turned to look at him. "I'm sorry."

"It's ok. It was my fault for giving you the wrong plate."

"Here," Buffy picked up his plate and put it on her side of the table. She rushed around and sat down, taking the top off another pastry and putting it over the ring. "Look, I'll act surprised."

"Buffy…."

"Please, Angel." Tears glistened in her eyes. "I didn't mean to ruin it. Really, I didn't."

"It's ok, Buffy." Angel took the top off the pastry and picked the ring up. He dipped it in the glass of water and dried it off on a napkin. Dropping to one knee, he took Buffy's left hand in his. "Buffy Anne Summers, my light, my love, my one and only for all eternity…. Will you be my wife?"

The tears fell down Buffy's cheeks as Angel slipped the ring on her finger. "Of course." She hugged him tightly, kissing him passionately, as Phoebe, Piper, and Paige dabbed at their watery eyes.


	67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

The dining room table was littered with open chip bags, open cookie bags, pretzels, and various snacks from end to end. Paige sat at the end of the table, her head in her hands, elbows on the table. She stared longingly at the array of snacks in front of her as she waited. Buffy was laying on the floor in the doorway between the dining room and the conservatory with her eyes covered with sunglasses and an ice pack on her forehead. Angel was pacing back and forth in the conservatory bouncing Alex in his arms. Phoebe walked in holding a red rubber hot water bottle against her stomach and groaning.

"Any idea what this meeting's all about?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, probably something to do with the kids." Paige said.

"Why, did something happen?"

"Oh, I'm sure they've gotten kidnapped by the latest demon or something."

"Paige, that's not funny at all." Buffy said.

"You get so bithcy when you're PMS-ed."

Buffy pushed the glasses down to look over at Paige. "I get a migraine. You try being peppy with one of these. Stop talking so loud." Buffy put her sunglasses back on. "And anyways, you get mean."

"I do not get 'mean'. I'm above it all. Nothing happens to me."

Piper stepped into the dining room and startled Paige. "All righty then…." Paige jumped in surprise and orbed out of the room unintentionally. She immediately orbed back in.

"Oh, right, 'nothing happens' to you. You're 'above it all'." Phoebe said.

"Fine, so I get a little jumpy." Paige admitted. "And you get all emotional."

"And I get a little pissy, so watch it." Piper said.

"We know." Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige said.

"At least you all get over it at the same time." Angel said. All four women sent him evil glares and he turned and paced away.

"As long as we don't kill each other in the process, which brings me to what we need to talk about." Piper said.

"Ah, that sounds serious. That calls for ice cream with three spoons." A pint of ice cream orbed onto the table in front of Paige.

"Ah-ah-ah! Personal gain." Phoebe cried.

"I know, but screw it, it's too good." Paige shoved a spoonful of chocolate ice cream into her mouth.

"Anyway, I've been wanting to tell you guys something for a while. Um…." Piper paused. "I just didn't know how to say it."

"Oh, my god, are you pregnant again?" Buffy asked, sitting up on her elbows.

"Oh! No, this is not a good thing. Do you guys remember Zola, the Elder who disappeared?"

"Yeah." Paige said.

"Well, he didn't disappear. He was killed. Leo killed him."

"Leo killed him?" Phoebe asked.

"I figured." Buffy said.

"It was an accident. He didn't mean to. I mean, he was tricked." Piper said.

"You might want to tell that to Zola." Paige said.

Piper's eyes narrowed at Paige and the light bulbs in the chandelier above the dining room table burst, sending glass down on the table. Piper looked up at the broken lights and then, without a word, she turned and headed back into the kitchen. Concerned, Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige got up and followed her.

"Hey, hey, what was that?" Phoebe asked.

"I was angry."

"Uh, yeah, but you blew it up without even looking at it." Paige said.

"Well, our emotions are tied to our powers so apparently I'm feeling a little weird."

"Well, ok, but…."

"I was just hoping for a little understanding, that's all."

"I know. We're sorry." Phoebe said. "It's just…."

"We're not big fans of the Elders right now." Buffy said.

"I mean, plus it's not like Leo could really hurt anybody anyway." Paige added. "We don't believe that he could actually do that."

"Well, unfortunately the Elders don't think that way." Piper said. "And if they can prove that he did do it, they won't think he did it by accident."

Leo orbed into the kitchen. "Sorry to interrupt, but I have to tell you something that you're probably not gonna like."

"Did you kill anybody else?" Paige blurted. Piper's jaw dropped and Leo stared at Paige. "I'm sorry."

"You told them?" Leo asked Piper.

"Well, I had to." Piper said. "It affects them, too."

"More than you know. They want to assign you a new Whitelighter because of it."

"What?" Phoebe and Buffy cried.

"They're getting more suspicious about what happened. They want to make sure you're protected."

"Protected from what? You?" Paige asked.

"They're out of their minds." Piper said.

"Still, he's gonna be sent here tomorrow." Leo said.

"Well, then we'll blow him up." Buffy said.

"Buffy, you guys can't blow up a whitelighter."

"Why not?" Buffy pointed at Piper. "She blows you up all the time."

"Look, we have enough people orbing in and out of here on a daily basis and we don't need another." Piper said. The toaster on the counter next to Leo blew up.

"Got it." Leo orbed out of the kitchen.

"That was a great toaster." Phoebe said sadly.

Buffy was working on feeding Alex in the conservatory the next morning when the fire alarm went off. Piper and Leo came rushing down the stairs and towards the kitchen. Buffy headed into the kitchen behind them, allowing Alex to play with her spoon. Smoke was rising out from the oven. Piper grabbed a pot holder off the counter and headed for the oven.

"Oh, no, no, no, no, no! That's the second batch." She cried, opening the oven and pulling out the burned muffin tray. "Could you turn that thing off?"

"I'll get the ladder." Leo said.

Piper dropped the muffin tray on the counter. "Oh! Forget it!" She waved her hand and efficiently blasted the alarm herself.

"Ah! Not so damn loud!" Buffy said, pressing her hand to her forehead.

"Hey, what is going on with you guys?" Leo asked.

"Witches and a Slayer with PMS. Look out." Piper looked at her burnt muffins. "Great. Now not only am I exhausted but I'm starving."

Phoebe and Paige walked into the kitchen. "Oh, I'll see your exhausting and starving and I raise you bloated." Phoebe said. She turned to gaze at the ruined muffins. "Oh, no, no! That is so sad."

"Hey, no weeping. You promised." Paige said.

"Oh, wait." Leo said. "Have you guys seen the new Whitelighter yet?"

"No, Leo. You probably scared him off."

"No, that's the thing. I didn't scare him off. He should've been here by now. I'll be right back." Leo orbed out of the kitchen.

"Better not be with that Whitelighter." Piper called after him.

"Seriously! Shut up!" Buffy snapped, grabbing the Excedrin out of the cabinet.

"Did anyone else have weird dreams last night?" Phoebe asked in a near whisper.

"No, you?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, and they were really violent and like painful."

"Hey, you want to go somewhere with me?" Paige asked Phoebe.

"Where?"

"I have to go over to Agent Brody's place and, uh, try to snoop around. Find out if he's a demon or not."

"You think he's a demon?" Buffy asked.

"No, I don't. But Piper does."

"I don't know what he is, but more importantly, we need to find out what he wants." Piper said. "We have enough to worry about around here without having to worry about him, too. So can you go with Miss Jumpy here and make sure she doesn't orb out in front of him, just in case he is a Fed and nothing else?"

"I can control myself."

"I can't go anyway. I have to go to work." Phoebe said.

"I thought you weren't going back in for a couple of days." Buffy said.

"I'm not, but that's when Les leaves and I just…. I have this feeling that he's pulling away from me."

"Hey, maybe he's pulling away from you because he's, uh, I don't know, leaving." Paige said.

"That might be true."

Baby cries emitted from the baby monitors. "Ok, would you please just be careful around Brody?" Piper asked. "And we'll talk about Leo moving in when I get back." She walked out of the kitchen leaving Buffy, Paige, and Phoebe to absorb that bombshell.

Buffy turned and headed back to Alex. Angel was standing in the shadows watching his daughter throwing food everywhere. "Why did you leave her where I can't get to her?" Angel asked.

"Oh, quit whining. I didn't expect Piper to burn muffins and move Leo back in all in one morning." Buffy snapped, heading over to Alex and scooping her up. "Great. Now I have to give you _another_ bath _and_ clean up this mess."

"Buffy…."

She sighed. "You try dealing with this migraine and a one year old and three cousins all going through the same thing. It isn't easy."

"Here," Angel said, taking Alex from Buffy. "I'll take her upstairs and give her a bath and you shut the curtains and then go rest. I'll come back down and clean up."

Buffy sighed gratefully. "Thank you."

"Anytime." Angel started to walk away, but Buffy grabbed his arm.

"Have you…."

"What?"

"Have you heard anything from Holtz?"

"No. He's been pretty non-active since he made himself known."

"That's what I was afraid of." Buffy nodded and headed back into the conservatory to shut the blinds against the sunlight.

Later that afternoon, Buffy and Piper slowly withdrew from the kids' room. "Have a nice nap." Piper whispered. "Sweet dreams."

Buffy closed the door quietly and they turned around to find Paige and Phoebe rushing toward them. "Hey, could we talk to you for a sec, Piper?" Phoebe asked.

"What about?" Piper asked.

"Well, it's about Leo, you know, moving back in." Paige said.

"Is there a problem?"

"Well, you know we love, love Leo, but, uh…."

"But?"

"Are you sure this is a good time for this?" Phoebe asked. "I mean, like you said, it's really crazy. So much is going on."

"Yeah, you know, Zola, the Elders." Paige added.

"Agent Brody."

"And, um…. He does hear voices."

"We all hear voices sometimes." Buffy said.

"Wait, you think it's ok for Leo to move back in?"

"Yes. I do." Buffy said.

"Ok, so…. Anyway, we might hear voices, but we don't see little floating heads going along with them."

"All the more reason he should be here where he is safe." Piper said.

"But what about the boys?" Phoebe asked. "And Alex?"

"What about them?" Buffy and Piper asked.

"Well, aren't you afraid they'll be in danger?"

"From who? Leo? That's ridiculous." Piper said.

"No, not from Leo. Whoever's after Leo."

"Have you thought it through?" Paige asked.

"Look, I just want my family back. Isn't that enough?" The flower arrangement in the center of the table in front of Piper exploded. Startled, Paige orbed out and back in.

"What is going on with our powers lately?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know, but it's getting awfully expensive."

Leo orbed in next to Piper and saw the mess. "What happened?"

"That's a good question." Phoebe said. "I'll be with Leslie. We'll talk about what we were talking about later."

"No, there's nothing else to talk about." Piper said as Phoebe left.

"You want me to cast a spell and clean up?" Paige asked.

"No more magic unless we have to."

"You might have to." Leo said. "I found out why the Whitelighter didn't show up. He was attacked."

"By a Darklighter?" Buffy asked.

"No, by me. At least that's what the Elders think."

"Oh, you've gotta be kidding." Piper said.

"I was the last one to see him."

"Well, obviously not." Buffy said. "Maybe the Elders are trying to set you up."

"Buffy…."

"No. She's right." Piper said. "They haven't exactly been your greatest allies lately."

"I'm more concerned that it has something to do with you guys. I mean, he was gonna come here and be your Whitelighter, your…. guide. You know, maybe somebody doesn't want that."

"I'll go check the Book of Shadows." Paige said.

"No, we'll do that." Piper said. "You should go find out about Brody. For all we know, he could have something to do with this." Paige nodded and headed out the front door.

"Listen, I'm sorry, getting you into all this." Leo said.

"It's not your fault." Buffy said.

"Let's go prove it." Piper said.

Leo had to smile at the two women. One was his wife and the other was his oldest friend and charge. They believed in him. They gave him hope that things would get better for him.


	68. Chapter 68

Chapter 68

Leo paced the attic floor while Piper went through the Book of Shadows. Buffy was sitting on the couch with her head resting against the back. Angel stood behind the couch massaging her temples. Piper closed the Book, trying not to slam it. "I give up." She said.

"We've gotta be missing something." Leo said.

"The only thing that attacks a Whitelighter is a Darklighter. That's it."

"But he wasn't shot with a poisoned arrow. He was mauled."

"What do you mean mauled? Like by an animal?" Angel asked.

"I don't know. Whatever it was, it's gotta be supernatural. Otherwise he would've orbed out. Plus, there's gotta be more than one of them. He was…. So messed up."

"So we'll set a trap." Buffy said.

"A trap?"

"With the crystals. We've done it before."

"What are you gonna use to lure the demons?"

"A Whitelighter, if that's what they're after."

"No way. The Elders would never go for it."

"Look, nobody's gonna get hurt. We'll set up the trap for whoever or whatever it is before they attack." Leo looked doubtful.

"Look, Buffy's right." Piper said. "If we don't find out who's really doing this, they're gonna keep blaming you. This could exonerate you for everything." With a look at the women, Leo agreed. "I'll go get the kids ready. You should take them with you to Magic School." Piper left the attic.

"I should go help her." Buffy said, standing up.

"Do you need more Excedrin?" Angel asked.

"Please? The massage helped, but it's coming back again. And I'm tired of walking around like a coked up rockstar the morning after." For emphasis, Buffy held up her sunglasses and gestured to her crazy hair that she wasn't able to brush for fear the tugging would make the headache worse.

Angel chuckled as he followed her out. "I'll go get you some more."

Paige threw an ingredient into the potions pot and it exploded. She waved her hands through the thick, white smoke swooshing it away from her face. "Whew! Well, that ought to do it." Paige said as she stirred the pot.

Phoebe walked over to her. "That ought to do what, burn down the house?"

"Remember, we don't know what we're up against, so I just thought I'd throw in the works."

Marcus, the Whitelighter Bait, paced the floor. "Wait, you're not ready yet? You're still working on the vanquishing potion?"

"I'm refining it."

"But you called me down here an hour ago!"

"Because we don't know when they're gonna attack you."

"You mean maul me."

"All right, you know what?" Phoebe said. "For a Whitelighter you are really wimpy."

"That's why they sent him." Paige muttered.

"I heard that." Marcus said.

"Relax, will you?" Buffy said, walking in. "Please, we're not going to let anything happen to you."

"Hey, where's Leo?" Phoebe asked.

"He's at Magic School so he has an alibi for when they attack and Angel's with him so he has a witness."

"And when they do attack, all we have to do is trigger the crystals, right?"

"Theoretically, but that's why we have backup."

Piper walked into the attic. "Did you test Brody's blood yet?"

"Yeah, he's not a demon." Paige said.

"Well, that officially makes him tomorrow's problem. How's it going in here?"

"The sitting duck is still sitting." Marcus said.

"Grumpy. Very grumpy." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, well, remember, it's almost midnight, and that's when things get very exciting around here." Paige said.

"Especially with a blue moon rising." Phoebe added.

"Wait a second." Paige stood up and headed for the Book of Shadows. "That reminds me. Something I read in the Book about how if there are two blue moons in one year that seems to only happen every fifty years."

"That doesn't bode well." Buffy said.

Paige turned and looked out the window as the blue moon rose. "Pretty."

Suddenly, Paige whirled around and morphed into a wolf-like beast creature. She growled and fell to all fours. Just as quickly, Piper and Phoebe both turned into similar wolf-like beast creatures. All three advanced on Marcus.

"What the hell?" He cried.

Two of the three creatures pounced, but Buffy intercepted. Marcus tried to orb out, but the third beast grabbed a hold of his orbs and pulled him down to the floor. The beast proceeded to maul Marcus to shreds amidst his painful cries. Buffy managed to knock the two she was grappling with unconscious and rushed over and kicked the third one off of Marcus. The three unconscious beasts were laying in the crystal circle. Buffy grabbed the final crystal and placed it in the circle, effectively activating the crystal cage.

Exhausted, Marcus slumped back to the floor and Buffy walked over to him. "Are you ok? Leo! Leo!"

Leo and Angel orbed in. "What's going…." Leo saw the three beasts in the cage. "What are those things?"

"My cousins. Heal. Please."

Leo started to heal as Angel walked over to the cage. "Your cousins?" He asked. "How did this happen?"

"I think it has something to do with the blue moon that Paige and Phoebe were talking about before they turned."

"We need to get him to the Elders." Leo said.  
"We can't tell them about this."

"I agree."

The Elders took Marcus over to the table the second Leo orbed them to the great hall in Magic School. Odin turned to look at them after a moment. "I thought you were supposed to trap them."

"It kind of caught us by surprise, you know?" Buffy said.

"Where are your cousins?"

"Working on finding the things that did that."

"Did you see what they looked like? Were they demons?"

"I was distracted trying to save your Whitelighter."

"Fair enough. We have to find out who did this and vanquish them before they attack us. I'm ordering a lockdown on all Whitelighters until we catch these beasts." Odin looked at Leo. "At least you've been exonerated. I'm, uh, sorry I doubted you."

"So am I." Leo said.

"We have a lot of healing to do, Leo, I admit, but forgiveness must prevail if we're to work together. Now, this new power that we're sensing, it is coming closer and it's more threatening."

"Ok, new power. What new power?" Buffy asked.

"We don't know exactly, but if it is responsible for this attack, Elders could be next. Help us, Leo."

Leo nodded as Odin orbed out. Buffy looked at Leo. "Can you orb me back to the attic? I want to be there when they wake up." Leo nodded and orbed Buffy back to the Manor.

Phoebe woke up and found herself on the attic floor. "Hi." Buffy said. She was sitting in a chair facing the cage holding her cousins.

"Wake up, wake up!" Phoebe said, nudging Piper awake.

"Where are the boys?" Piper asked as Phoebe helped her to her feet.

"The boys are fine." Buffy said calmly. "You're not though."

"Keep it down." Paige groaned, still laying on the floor.

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"What's going on is you three almost ate that Whitelighter, Marcus." Buffy said.

"What are you talking about?" Piper asked.

Phoebe gasped. "Oh god. We're in the cage."

"Yup." Buffy said.

"How did we get here?" Paige asked.

"I trapped you guys in there. You turned into…. Well, the closest thing I can think of is werewolves."

"No, we didn't." Piper said. "Did we?"

Buffy nodded as Phoebe said, "I think that dream I had was real."

"That is crazy." Paige said. She stood up and tried to take a step out of the crystal cage. She was immediately zapped and fell back hard on the floor with a thud.

"Crazy, huh?" Buffy asked.

"Ok. What does this mean? We're demons?" Paige asked.

"No, you didn't turn into demons, Paige."

"I know we all get a little testy this time of month, but that's ridiculous."

"It can't be that. It's gotta be something else." Piper said.

"Like what, the blue moon?" Phoebe asked.

"That's what you guys were talking about right before you changed." Buffy said.

"We didn't hurt you, did we?" Piper asked.

Buffy shook her head. "I've had practice dodging the claws of werewolves. You guys have got to be sore, though."

"Why?" Paige asked.

"I ended up having to knock all three of you out."

"Explains the soreness in my jaw." Phoebe said.

"And the pounding headache I woke up with." Piper said.

"We're sorry, honey." Phoebe started to move towards Buffy to hug her, but she stopped before she hit the cage. "Oh, could you…."

"Sure." Buffy kicked a crystal away and the cage deactivated.

Phoebe rushed out and hugged Buffy tightly. "I am so sorry."

"It's ok."

"Where is Marcus?" Paige asked.

"The Elders were healing him when I left Magic School."

"Bright side, the Elders can't blame Leo anymore." Phoebe said.

"No. They even apologized to him."

"Now they can blame us, though." Piper said. "We gotta find a way to stop this from happening again."

"I can't do that now because I have to go meet Leslie for breakfast." Phoebe said.

"Oh, come on!"

"I know, but if I don't show up again he's never gonna talk to me again. Gotta go."

"You better be home before the moon rises. And stay away from red meat!" Piper called after her.

"And you've gotta get to Agent Brody." Buffy said to Paige.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Because you said he talked about that new power thing and the Elders mentioned something to me about a new power. He must know something about it and you're going to find out."

"Good plan." Paige said. "Oh, and sorry about attacking you. I think that was me."

"It's ok. Just go."

Piper showed Buffy the various potions that she'd made. She, Leo, Angel, and Buffy were standing in the kitchen. "This one should work if the beasts are just possessing us. This one

should work if the last one doesn't. It should knock out about ten of them. This one…. Well, this one only use if you really, really have to."

"Why, what is it?" Buffy asked, taking the potions from Piper.

"A little bit of everything, just in case."

"Piper, I'm not using these on you guys."

"You might have to."

"It's the last night of a blue moon. All we have to do is wait until it passes." Buffy put the vials down on the counter.

"Unless it's not the blue moon that's doing this to us. No, Paige said that…."

"I heard what Paige said about the new power." Piper gave Buffy a look and Buffy waved it off. "Slayer hearing, remember? Look, if it's only after power, why would it be doing all this? It doesn't make any sense."

"Better safe than sorry. Now, Paige and Phoebe are coming home in a couple of minutes. We need to get the cage ready."

Buffy looked at Leo. He sighed and said, "Piper, I know you're scared."

"I'm not scared. I'm worried that we're gonna kill someone."

"You're not gonna kill anybody. I promise. Look, you already saved me. Now let me save you, and then maybe…. It'll be time for me to move back in again."

"It already is." Piper looked at Buffy. "Grab those." She turned and left the kitchen.

Buffy sighed and grabbed the potions before following Piper out. Angel smiled slightly at Leo as he followed Buffy.


	69. Chapter 69

Chapter 69

Paige carried a thick, red blanket over to the cage. "Do you think we should put some snacks in the cage?" She asked.

Phoebe grabbed the crystals. "Like what, a wildebeest?"

Piper grabbed a pillow. "Please don't say beast."

"No, I'm just saying we don't know how long we're gonna be in here. What if I get hungry?"

"Well, then we'll have Buffy throw us Whitelighter. Don't worry about it."

"Well, I do worry about it. I just don't like not knowing what's going on."

"Leo thinks it's the blue moon for sure, so all we have to do is make it until morning without eating anyone and we'll be fine."

"What if Leo's wrong, you know? I mean, it's not like he's been himself lately."

"We've been through this."

"No, we haven't, not enough." Phoebe said.

"Look, you guys, trust me. We don't have to worry about him anymore."

"Talking about me?" Leo asked. He cracked his neck.

"What was that?" Buffy asked, looking at him curiously.

"What was what?"

Phoebe looked at Buffy and Angel. "So keep your eye on us after we transform and make sure we don't move any of the crystals."

The doorbell rang downstairs. "Who could that be?" Piper asked.

"Oh, I think I know. I'll take care of it." Phoebe left the attic.

"You better hurry." Buffy called. "Leo, you need to go."

"Why?" Leo asked.

"Because I don't want us to attack you." Piper said.

"Why would you attack me?"

"Well, technically you're still an Elder, and we feel the same way about Elders as we do Whitelighters, so just to be safe."

"So you view me as a threat."

"Probably."

Leo nodded and cracked his neck. Without warning, Leo shot streams of electricity at Piper. Buffy dove over and tackled Piper out of the way. She caught a little of the bolt on her arm, but it was just a graze. Leo turned on Paige and Angel dove for her, but Paige ended up orbing out and back in and causing Angel to crash into the bureau behind her. Phoebe ran into the attic.

"Leo, what are you doing?" Buffy cried.

"Television!" Paige said. The television set in the corner orbed out and she threw it at Leo. Leo orbed out of the attic as the television crashed to the attic floor.

"Buffy, you ok?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. Just a scratch. Angel?"

Angel got to his feet. "Ouch."

"Still think Leo's fine?" Phoebe asked.

"That wasn't Leo." Piper said. "He was possessed or something."

"Again?" Paige asked. Piper rolled her eyes. "Well, it seems to happen a whole lot."

"And if it did happen again, it can't be connected to the blue moon, because it's not up yet." Phoebe said.

"Maybe it's that whole new power thing. Maybe that's who's setting Leo up." Buffy said.

"But why? For what?" Piper asked.

"Well, if Agent Brody's right…. for power." Paige said.

The Elders in the Great Hall were under attack. Possessed Leo fired streams of electricity at them and they fired back. One Elder was already down in the center of the room. Angel, Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, and Paige orbed into the Great Hall. "Ok, now what?" Phoebe asked.

"Throw the potions." Piper turned and grabbed the potions from Buffy.

Possessed Leo fired another stream of electricity at the Elders. He took down another Elder. The two remaining Elders rushed forward to assist him. Possessed Leo saw his chance and waved his hand to destroy them.

"Hey!" Buffy shouted. "Over here." Possessed Leo turned towards her. They each threw a vial at him. The vials hit Possessed Leo, separating the possessing demon from Leo who fell to the floor. Piper blasted the Possessor Demon, but he shimmered out of the Hall. A moment later, Leo stepped out from behind the pillar.

An angry, Odin walked out to Leo. "You have betrayed us again!" He blasted Leo, hitting him square in the chest.

"What're you doing?" Piper demanded.

"I'm warning you! Stay out of this!"

Buffy took a threatening step forward to intervene, but Phoebe stopped her. "Oh, no Buffy! Do not!"

Odin raised his hands, intending to strike at Leo who was face-down on the floor. "You will be stopped."

Suddenly a blue-ish tinged light shone through the windows, distracting Odin. "Oh crap." Buffy said, yanking Angel out of the way as the girls turned into the wolf-like beasts. They growled and snarled at Odin, slowly advancing and then pouncing. Buffy and Angel threw themselves in the way before they could get to the Elders, but one of them, Buffy was sure it was Piper, got to Odin. The two remaining Elders shot a pulse of bright light at the creatures, temporarily disabling them and knocking them completely out.

Odin stared at them as the other Elders helped Buffy and Angel to their feet. "Are you two ok?" One of them asked.

"Yeah." Buffy said.

"Did you know about this?" Odin asked.

Buffy rounded on him. "So what if I did? They're my cousins. They're my sisters. Whatever's happening to them isn't their fault. And what you did to Leo…."

"He attacked us."

"Oh, what? You completely missed the demon possessing him? Of course you did. You _want_ Leo to be guilty. What kind of an Elder are you to treat him like that? Who are you to judge him? As far as you all are concerned, you're his equals. He's an Elder too. Or did you forget that?" Buffy turned to Leo. "Come on. I need to get the crystals. Angel, watch them."

"Which ones?" Angel asked.

"All of them." Buffy and Leo orbed out.

It was morning and the girls were no longer beasts. Buffy sat with Angel on one of the couches in the Hall guarded by two Elders. They waited for Piper, Phoebe, and Paige to wake up so they could get away from the Elders. When Leo and Buffy had returned, the Elders had forced Angel to stand down. They'd orbed Leo somewhere and then forced Buffy to stand down with Angel.

"Oh, what happened?" Paige groaned.

Odin walked over to them. "You attacked us!"

"Oh, really? Then how come I'm the one with the headache?" Phoebe asked.

"We were forced to defend ourselves."

"Please." Buffy said as Phoebe walked over to her and Angel. "We saved your asses."

"Where is Leo?" Piper asked.

"They sent him away."

"'Away'?" Piper turned to Odin. "Where?"

"It's none of your concern now. You attempted to save him, you failed. That's that." Odin said.

"The hell it is!"

"He tried to kill two more Elders."

"No. He was possessed. You just chose not to see it." Buffy said.

"No. What I saw was what I never imagined…. The Charmed Ones turning into demons and the Slayer protecting those demons.

"No, that wasn't demonic." Phoebe said. "That was, you know, that time of the month."

"No! It was a blue moon." Paige said.

"The point is, we didn't have a choice." Piper said. "We can't control it."

"Told you." Buffy said.

"Which is why I'm keeping you here until we figure out what to do with you." Odin said.

"What to do with us?" Buffy stood up and shoved the Elder away who tried to stop her. "Here's what you do with us. You let us go so we can find who the real demon is."

"Out of the question."

"Then I guess you won't be finding out about that new power." Paige said. "Only they could've sent the demon after Leo."

"You said yourself they may be coming after the Elders next." Piper said.

Odin shook his head. "But what if you turn back into…."

"Oh, that was just the blue moon." Phoebe said. "That won't happen for another fifty years or so."

"Yeah, and by that time, we'll just be a menace to a rest home, so I think you're safe." Piper said.

"Very well." Odin said. "See what you can find out."

"No. Not without Leo first."

"He can't be trusted. He wouldn't be vulnerable to possession if…."

"You can give us Leo now or you can find your own damn connection to the new power." Buffy snapped. Piper, Phoebe, Paige, and Angel nodded their agreement. Odin waved his hands and Leo appeared in the Hall.

"What's going on?" He asked.

"You're about to be exonerated. Again." Piper said. "Book of Shadows." The six of them orbed out.

Alone in the cave, the Possessor Demon stared up at the ceiling, nervous that he was going to be found. "What else do you want from me? I did what you asked." He cracked his neck. "You've got to protect me! They'll find me!"

"We already have." Piper said. The Possessor Demon turned around and found Buffy, Piper, Paige, and Phoebe at the mouth of the cave.

"Who were you talking to?" Buffy asked as they walked forward.

The Possessor Demon started to shimmer out, but Piper immediately froze him mid-shimmer. They moved closer and she unfroze only his head. "What happened?" He asked. "Did you just freeze me?"

"She asked you a question." Piper said. "Would you rather I blew you up?"

"Wait! Don't. If I tell you, they'll kill me."

"If you don't tell us, we'll kill you." Buffy said. "Now would be the time to pick your poison."

"They're more powerful than anything you've ever seen."

"Who is?" Piper asked.

From behind them, a demon head appeared and swooped forward past the girls and towards the Possessor Demon. The Possessor Demon screamed as bolts of power shot from the demon head's eyes and blew up the Possessor Demon. He exploded in a wall of fire and flames.

"Well, I guess Leo isn't seeing things after all." Paige said.

"Can we get out of here now, please?" Phoebe asked.

Piper looked at the empty cavern. "Whoever you are, stay away from my husband." She warned before Paige orbed them out.

Piper paced the floor as she waited for Leo to arrive. Buffy stood off to the side, waiting with her. She didn't want to be at home since Angel was talking with Giles about Holtz and the prophecy. Suddenly, a door closed and Leo walked into the Hall from the corridor.

"Where were you?" Piper asked. "I was worried. _We_ were worried."

"I was just checking on the boys and Alex." Leo said.

"We found the Possessor Demon right where you said he'd be." Buffy said.

"Did you vanquish him?"

"No. Some Creature Head thing did."

"You saw him?"

"Yeah, we saw it." Piper said."And I don't think we've seen the last of it."

"That's what I'm worried about."

"Come on. Let's go home."

"I can't."

"But the Elders said you were free to go." Buffy argued.

"It's not the Elders I'm worried about. I'm worried about you guys. I'm worried about everybody. Look, the Elders were right. This new power was after me because I was vulnerable. You know, vulnerable enough to put my family at risk. Piper…. you were almost killed because of me, because of what they did to me. I can't let that happen. I won't."

Piper shook her head. "Leo, I know you've been through a lot. I do, but you fought so hard, and the boys need you. I need you."

"It's too dangerous. I have to stay away from you for your own sake. I'm sorry." Leo orbed out, leaving Piper standing there.

"I don't understand." Piper said.

Buffy walked over and took her hand. "I think I do."

"We can protect him."

"But while we're busy protecting him, who's going to protect the innocents? Who'll protect the kids?"

Piper sighed. "You're not old enough to be making wise observations like that."

Buffy smiled. "Sorry. Hazard of the trade. Come on, let's get Wyatt to orb us home."

Giles hung up the phone and looked at the sheet of paper in front of him. He didn't want to believe what was written there. He'd translated the prophecy more than hundred times in as many different forms as he could. Some of them didn't even make sense, but they sounded better than the translation that he knew was correct.

_The father_

_Will kill_

_The child_

It wasn't possible. He hadn't told Angel what he'd found. Just that he was close to figuring it out. Buffy and Angel would be devastated. So, Giles was going to continue his search and prove the prophecy wrong. He had to for Buffy's sake. And if the prophecy was true…. Gods help him, he had to find a way to save Alex from Angel.


	70. Chapter 70

Chapter 70

Angel shut the door and brought the package that the UPS man had delivered into the living room. Phoebe, Piper, and Buffy were sitting on the couch watching him excitedly open the package. "I wanna know how he does it." Phoebe said. "No last name, no bank account. How are you ordering stuff off the web?"

"I have Buffy's credit card." Angel said, pulling a pair of little ice skates out of the box and holding them up. "What do you think?"

Buffy laughed. "I think it's a little too early for her to start skating."

"Ok." Angel reached back in the box and pulled out two curved sticks.

"Some kind of boomerang vamp stake?" Phoebe asked.

"No! They're itty-bitty hockey sticks! For Wyatt and Chris."

Piper laughed. "Angel, you didn't have to do that."

"I know. But they're my nephews and I love them and I couldn't get just Alex a present. And it gets better." Angel reached back in the box and pulled three small jerseys, laying each one out on the coffee table. One said _Wyatt 01_, another said _Alex 02_, and the third said _Chris 03_ on the backs of each jersey. "Check this out! How cute is this? Huh? See, Wyatt was born first, then Alex, and then Chris."

"That is so adorable." Phoebe cooed.

"Why hockey?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I figure, I mean if it's ok with Piper, that the boys could play some hockey since the games are indoors and they usually play at night. I could go see them. And with ice skating, it's the same thing. I could go see my daughter too." He sighed happily, taking Alex from Buffy. "I know it's a little bit too early to be thinking about stuff like this, but I can't wait to watch her grow up. For her to lose her first tooth. Learn how to ride a bike."

"I know what you mean." Buffy said. "There are so many things I'm looking forward to with her. Like…. I can't wait to help her pick out a dress for her senior prom and take all those cheesy pictures of her and her date on the stairs."

Angel's smile faded slightly at the thought of his little girl at prom with a boy. "Let's not go that far. I don't even want to think about her and boys right now. You know, I just can't wait to see who she's gonna to be. I know it's mushy, but it's just…. She makes me so happy."

Piper smiled. "I know exactly what you mean."

"Hey, how did Alex's doctor's appointment go today?" Phoebe asked Buffy.

"Good. She's just got a little bit of a cold." Buffy said. "They did a little blood work just in case, though."

"Just in case of what?"

Buffy shrugged. "I guess to make sure she doesn't have any diseases or anything."

The doorbell rang suddenly. "I'll get it." Piper stood up and went to answer the door.

"Hello." A woman with short, dark hair was standing on the other side of the door. "Does Buffy Summers live here?"

"Yes." Piper looked back as Buffy stood up and walked to the door.

"Can I help you?" Buffy asked.

"My name is Aubrey Woods. We've never met, but I heard that you're an associate with Angel Investigations in Los Angeles. I need your help."

Buffy glanced at Angel walking up behind them. "Come in." She finally said, moving out of the way so Aubrey could come into the Manor.

"How did you find us?" Angel asked.

"I was told by a friend in LA about Angel Investigations that you're the best when it comes to…. Strange cases. She said that you'd moved to San Francisco, so I came looking for you." Aubrey sat down on one of the chairs. "Last Monday night, my son Timothy snuck out of the house. He loved to go to the pier…. In Santa Monica. He loved the lights of the Ferris wheel there. So I went after him. I searched the pier, the arcade…. nothing. So, I sat up all night and waited for him to come home."

"When did he return home? Right before dawn?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah. But his face was…. There was something wrong with his face and he was so angry. He was calling me names, and pounding on the door, and screaming at me to let him in. It scared me. I was afraid of my own son. Then he just went up in flames."

Buffy sat down next to Aubrey and placed a comforting hand on the woman's clasped hands. "If you had let him in he would have killed you."

"At least he'd still be alive."

"No. What came to your door wasn't your son. It looked like your son, but it wasn't him."

"Maybe I could have found a way to turn him back."

Angel shook his head. "When somebody becomes a vampire there is no turning back. No matter how much you want to believe there is some part of him you can save, all that's left is an evil thing."

"You said your son went to the pier that night?" Buffy asked. Aubrey nodded. "I'll call Cordy and Doyle and have them do a little recon while it's still light out."

"If I could have found that thing myself, I would have killed it with my bare hands. It made me afraid of my own little boy. I don't understand any of this. I don't know what to do."

"Don't worry." Buffy stood up. "We can't fix what's happened, but we can stop the thing that did that to your son."

"Thank you."

Aubrey stood in front of a group of people ranged around a seated Holtz. There were pictures posted on a cork board of the Halliwell family, Buffy, Angel, and the two gangs from Sunnydale and LA. "Piper Halliwell. She's the oldest of the Charmed Ones and the most powerful with the ability to freeze and explode. Phoebe Halliwell. She's the middle sister with the power of premonition that was only recently returned to her. Paige Mathews. She's only a half sister to the two Halliwells. She has the powers of a Whitelighter and the ability to move things with her mind. She wasn't there this afternoon. Buffy Summers. She's a Slayer with her dead cousin's powers in a charm on a necklace she keeps on her at all times. Allen Francis Doyle known to his friends as simply Doyle. He's half Brachen demon, but he rarely shows that side of him, and he carries visions from the Powers That Be that tell Angel when and where trouble is happening. Cordelia Chase. She's a friend of Angel's and Buffy's from their days in Sunnydale and she has no powers. Rupert Giles. He's Buffy's Watcher. Very good with translating and researching demons and their lore but still only human. Xander Harris. He has no powers, but he's a decent fighter. Willow Rosenburg and Tara McClay. Both are powerful witches in their own right, but when they're together, their powers are very near the level of the Charmed Ones."

Holtz stood up. "Good work, Aubrey."

"Thanks, boss."

Holtz dismissed everyone, but Justine stayed sitting to one side, looking at the pictures up on the board. "I don't understand." She said. "How can these people work for a vampire."

"I once made a pact with a demon." Holtz said.

"So you could get to Angelus. So you could kill a vampire."

"I'm sure they believe their reasons are good, however misguided. Things aren't always black and white, Justine, good and evil."

"What about Angelus?"

"He is evil."

Justine saw the vampire attacking the two men fighting as the anchor of its chains came loose. While Holtz sat back and watched, Justine jumped up and engaged the freed vamp. After a short fight, she managed to knock it to the floor. She turned to take a sword from a stand and rammed it through the vampire's torso, pinning it to the floor. "Chains would be good now." She snapped. Some men chain the vampire back up and Justine pulled the sword free, stepped back, and looked at Holtz.

"I knew you were meant for this." Holtz said to her before turning back to the papers on the table. "We need to get moving. Events are happening even quicker than I could have hoped."

"Thank god. I was starting to get bored." Holtz turned as Sahjhan materialized out of a shivering air behind him. Justine swung the sword around to decapitate Sahjhan, but it just went right through him. "You know, my barber has the same problem with his scissors, hence the bad haircut. Love the whole chained, un-dead look you got going on. Really sets off your fern."

"You can stand down, Justine. It's only Sahjhan."

"'Only Sahjhan'? See that's the trouble with you, Holtz. If you'd only done what you…." Sahjhan looked at Justine. "Can we have a little privacy here?"

"No." Holtz said.

"Fine. You owe me a dead vampire."

"Yes. Well, how shall I put this? What are you going to do about it? Nothing. That's what you'll do. That's all you can do or else you wouldn't have brought me here in the first place. You've done your part, Sahjhan. Now let me do mine."

"What is your part? Recruiting a bunch of paramilitary moonie freaks, who run around playing Candid Camera with Angel's buddies? That's crap. Admit it. You're a coward and I bet Caroline would agree. You remember her, don't you? Your dead wife? Mother of your dead kids? How'd they die? Who swore revenge? Any of this ringing a bell?"  
"Get out."  
"Or what? You can't kill me."

"But I can trap your dimensional essence in a Resikhian Urn. Wonderful devices the urns. They last a lifetime. That is, if you live forever."

"This isn't over, Holtz" Sahjhan shivered back out of existence.

Cordelia and Doyle walked through the dark and deserted pier where Aubrey's son had been attacked. Cordelia sighed and looked around. "We should be getting back." They'd been there all day with not much success.

"Hang on. I'm getting a tingle." Doyle said.

"I don't see anything suspicious except for that guy trying to break into that building over there."

"The carousel closed hours ago."

Doyle led the way over and they walked into the dark building housing the carousel. Cordelia spotted a figure climbing the middle column of the carousel. "Is that a vampire?"

"One way to find out."

"Doyle, what do you think you're doing?"

"Princess, I didn't spend all day walking the pier just to go home and file a report. Let's finish this now and tell Angel and Buffy about it."

"We're shouldn't be doing this."

"Cordy…."

"Look, not all of us are half demon, ok? We shouldn't be traipsing in here without more backup. Preferably three brunette witches, a blonde Slayer, and her tall, brooding souled-vampire fiancé."

"We'll be fine, Cordelia. It's just one vampire."

"Famous last words." The carousel began to turn silently. A door in the middle column opened and a growling vampire stepped out between the turning figures. Behind them another vampire dropped from the ceiling and a third came up from the other side. Cordelia slapped Doyle on the arm. "SEE!"

"Um…. Call the Whitelighter."

"It doesn't work that way? He can only hear the calls of his charges."

"Fine. When I say go, run!" Instead of saying go, charged two of the vampires, tricking the third to take down one of his own vampires by ducking out from under his attack. "Cordy! Get out of here!"

"But…."

"Go!"

Cordelia ran out and Doyle turned back to the fight, changing into his Brachen demon half. One of the vampires managed to pin him down on the ground, but Doyle used to spikes in his face to stab the vamp as he headbutted it. He catapulted it over his head and it flew into the wooden railing surrounding the carousel, breaking it. Doyle picked up one of the broken pieces and plunged the stake home. But even as the first vampire turned to dust, another one threw him across the room.

Doyle's makeshift stake skittered across the floor as he lost his grip on it. Doyle picked himself back up to resume the fight. After a couple of painful blows to Doyle's face, the vampire managed to grab him by the throat and lift him clear off the ground. "Doyle!" Cordelia ran up and staked the vampire holding Doyle in the air. She screamed and dropped the stake when she was grabbed by the third vampire.

Doyle picked up the dropped stake and stabbed the vampire in the arm. It dropped Cordy and Doyle staked it. He reached down and helped Cordelia up. "Why are you still here?"

"Oh, please. Did you really think I was going to leave you here?"

"Yes."

"Well, that hurts me just a little."

Doyle grabbed Cordy and pulled her to him. "I love you, Cordelia."

"I know." She kissed him, holding him tightly to her.

"Come on." Doyle said after a long, breathless moment. "We've got to call Angel." They ran out, heading back to the car.


	71. Chapter 71

Chapter 71

Giles walked through some bushes, looking down at an electronic compass. "Thirty four degrees twelve minutes north. One eighteen, twenty one, West." The compass let out a soft chime. "This must be it." He found himself standing in front of a giant hamburger face with arms and legs and an 'order here' speaker for a nose. He was outside of the Sunnydale Doublemeat Palace. The lights in the place went out and two guys walked out. Giles shook his head and looked back at the burger. "You're supposed to be a statue. I guess you are, sort of." Giles sighed and threw a dirty look at the two guys as they started to laugh. The two guys walked off and Giles pulled out a small leather bag. "If this doesn't work, I'm gonna kill that wizard." He sprinkled powder from the bag over the hamburger statue, then held his hand up, palms out, in front of him. "Mange sec Loa, alegba, accept this offering and open the gates of truth."

A red light flashed and the hamburger came to life, growing bigger. Its eyes began to glow red. "How dare you call on the Loa?"

"I come in supplication, oh great one, begging for answers to questions only your power can reveal."

"You have answers, human. You search now, only for the question."

"Is it true? Will Angel really kill his daughter as it says in the prophecies?"

"That the vampire will devour his child is certain. The dark question you harbor is only 'when.'"

"No. The dark question I harbor is 'how do I stop it?'"

"It can not be stopped."

"It has to be stopped! There must be a way…."

Red lighting flashed from the Loa's eyes into Giles, knocking him to the ground. "Your insolence is displeasing."

Giles picked himself back up. "You try chatting with a cranky hamburger."

"You risk your life, Watcher, calling on the Loa. Perhaps what you really seek is death. The pain in your heart begs for it."

"Then do it and be done. Nothing else will stop me."

"Simple mortal, your pain is just beginning. Time is running out, yet still you ignore the question."

"Alright then, when? When will this happen?"

"The first portent will shake the earth. The second will burn the air. The last will turn the sky to blood."

"An earthquake? That's the first portent? We live California!"

"Earthquake, fire, blood. Be heedful of the signs, Watcher, and trouble the Loa no more." With that, the hamburger shrunk down in size and turned back into a lifeless statue.

The next morning, Paige answered the doorbell. Aubrey was standing on the other side of the door. "Hi. Sorry to interrupt. I'm…."

"Aubrey Woods." Paige interrupted.

"Yeah. How did you…."

"I'm Paige. Phoebe and Piper's sister. They told me about you."

"Oh. Are they here?"

"Yeah, come on in." Paige moved out of the way so Aubrey could walk into the foyer. "Guys."

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe walked out of the living room. "Hi." Aubrey said. "I got your message that everything was taken care of. I can't tell you how grateful I am to you. It might have been to late for Timothy, but at least those monsters will never get a chance to take someone else's son."

"Monsters." Buffy repeated, crossing her arms. "I don't remember mentioning that there were more than one."

"Well, you did say before that there could be a nest."

"Right. Sure."

"I hate to be a nuisance, but…. Would you like to get some breakfast? All of you? My treat."

"Breakfast?" Phoebe repeated.

"To be perfectly honest with you I could use some friends right now. Ever since my son was…. It gets lonely."

"Oh, you're good lady." Piper said. "I like the 'lonely' thing."

"Wh-what?"

"Yeah, lonely. That was a nice touch." Aubrey spun around to see Angel standing behind her.

Aubrey's hand went into her purse and came out with a stake. Buffy caught her upraised arm and sent her stumbling to the side. She kept hold of the stake as she followed Aubrey towards the door. "Moves more like a fighter than a victim, wouldn't you say?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, I would." Angel said. "You set up my friends. Let them walk right into an ambush. They could have been killed."

"But they weren't." Aubrey spat. "Your friends are still alive. My little boy isn't."

"I'm sorry about your son." Buffy said sincerely. Then her demeanor hardened. "Is that how Holtz found you? Because of what happened to your son?"

"You're right to protect him." Angel said, causing Buffy to look at him sharply. "Holtz is one of the good guys. He has every right to hate me. And if he ever comes close to one of my people ever again, or tries to touch a hair on my daughter's head, I'll kill him and anyone who gets in the way. You might wanna mention that." Aubrey took one last look at Angel and ran out.

Buffy slammed the door and turned to Angel. Before she could say anything, the flowers on the table rattled as the whole manor began to shake from a minor earthquake. Everyone rushed under the doorway, but it was over quickly. The kids had been taken to Magic School while Buffy had made the call to Aubrey. As soon as the shaking was over, Buffy marched up the stairs.

"Where are you going?" Paige called.

"To find an answer."

"What does that mean?" Piper asked.

"I think I know." Phoebe said.

The phone rang. "I'll get it." Paige said, going to the kitchen.

Phoebe walked up after Buffy, waving Piper and Angel away. Sure enough, Buffy was pulling out a map of San Francisco and the scrying crystal. "Sweetie, how do you expect to find him? You don't have anything of his to scry with."

"I'm hoping my memory of him will work." Buffy set to work scrying for Holtz. "He's going to go after Alex. I know it. And I can't let it happen."

"We won't." Phoebe sat down across from Buffy and took her hands. "Ok, let's try something."

"What?"

"Well…. If we're twins, then we share a connection. Let's try to tap into that connection and you send me the memory of Holtz. I'll try to use that to get the crystal to point to where he is."  
"Will it work?"

"We're going to have to try to find out."

Buffy stood in the shadows of an old Victorian house a few miles away from the Manor. She watched the little group of people watching a video recording of Cordy and Doyle's fight at the Santa Monica Pier on a TV screen. Phoebe had wanted to come with her, but Paige had called her to come help with something.

Holtz paused the video as Cordy staked the vampire holding Doyle. "This girl, outsized, outmatched, outnumbered…. and she survived. Why? Because she was willing not to. She was prepared to die for the cause rather than abandon her comrade. We, too, must be willing to die, but more so. Study this carefully. You'll be fighting these two very soon." Holtz saw Aubrey walking into the house. "Perhaps sooner than I expected. They found you out."

"I am sorry." Aubrey said.

"It's not important. Of course I am rather annoyed you allowed yourself to be followed."

"Don't blame her." Buffy said, stepping out of the shadows. "I have powerful cousins on my side, so lying to me and hiding from me isn't really an option."

One of Holtz's followers drew a knife and stalked closer to Buffy. "Maybe we should cut out her tongue…. send a message to Angelus."

"You could try." Buffy used Prue's powers to toss him across the room and drop him to the ground. Holtz raised a hand to stop the others from attacking. "Or you can lie on the floor and be unconscious for a while. If there's anyone else dumb enough to go up against a Slayer with magical powers, be my guest. But I didn't come here to fight." Buffy looked at Holtz. "I'm not your enemy. But then again, I've noticed you seem to have a little bit of a problem making that distinction. You're fighting the wrong man."

"Angelus."

"No! Angel. He's Angel now. He's not Angelus anymore. He's a good man."

"He's not even a man."

"He's as much a man as you are. He has a soul now."

"Yes. That he might know the pain that he has inflicted on his countless victims. A brilliant curse, I must admit. Gypsies do have a knack for creative vengeance. Where they fail, however is in the execution of justice. And that I will have."

"If it's a sacrifice you want, then you can take me. Angel's no more responsible for the things Angelus did than I am."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"And was it your hands that held down my beloved Caroline as she was violated and murdered? That wrapped themselves around my son's neck and snapped it like kindling? Were yours hands those that clutched at my daughter as she was turned into a creature damned for all eternity? Angelus is in his nature. The beast will re-emerge. You've seen it. You know it. And that is why you are here."

"I'm here to tell you to back off and leave _my_ family alone. You don't want me coming after you, Holtz."

"And will you?"

"If you hurt my family…. My daughter…. I will kill you."

"You're a Slayer. Would you risk compromising all that a Slayer is to kill a human?"

"I'm a mother before anything else. So, yes. I would. Holtz, vengeance on Angel is pointless. He's not that demon who killed your family. He's a champion for good now. He's done more good in the last few years than you have in your entire life."

"Your Watcher is right. He's going to kill the child."

"Excuse me?"

"He hasn't told you? The prophecy your Watcher has been working on…. 'The father will kill the child.' This is the translation he's been trying to prove wrong. But I don't need prophecies to tell me what is plain. So long as the child remains with the demon, it's not safe."

Buffy laughed. "And here I was thinking it was a simple blood vendetta, when what you really want is to protect my daughter."

"You don't believe me."

"Maybe it's the low scary voice that's giving me trouble."

"It's time to make a decision, Miss Summers. My army is strong and will only increase in number. Fight against us and this war will become a bloodbath."

Buffy laughed again. "This isn't war! It's revenge!"

"What's wrong with revenge?" Justine asked. "It's all some of us have left."

Buffy took a breath and looked back at Holtz. "Look, I know what it's like to lose someone you love. Someone who's so close to you that when they're gone, you feel them ripped away from your very soul. I do. And I've done the revenge thing. It doesn't work. You only end up hurting people who _weren't meant_ to get hurt."

"When I put my son's body into the ground, I had to open the coffin, just to know that he really was in there. You also may discover that a child's coffin…. it weighs nothing."

Buffy took a threatening step forward, allowing her immense power as a Slayer and a cousin to the Charmed Ones to be felt all around her. Everyone in the room but Holtz took a few steps back from her. Buffy could tell Holtz had a hard time staying where he was, though he tried to pretend he wasn't affected. "I'm warning you for the last time, Daniel Holtz. Alexis is _my_ daughter as well as Angel's. She's part of _my_ flesh and blood, too. I can personally guarantee that if anything happens to her, it _will_ happen to you three fold. You hurt her, I'll show you how bloody revenge can be and Angelus will be a dream compared to the nightmare I'll be." Buffy turned and disappeared out the door.

Holtz shook his head. "It's not me that your revenge will rain down upon, young Slayer."

Piper walked across the Hall in Magic School carrying some books in her hand. Buffy was sitting at the table looking through books and talking to Giles on her cell phone. Phoebe was following behind Piper trying to get her to listen, but Piper was on the phone with Angel who was at P3. Phoebe and Paige had been helping Brody at a fire.

"Could you do me a favor and call Rex and have them do a sound check before the show?" Piper said to Angel. "I don't want to mess up The Donnas' album release party. It's gonna be packed."

"Piper, are you even listening to me?" Phoebe asked. "Buffy! What did you find out?"

Buffy waved her away and pointed at the phone. "I don't care what it says. Prove it wrong."

"What's going on?"

"I don't know. I didn't even know she was here." Piper said, hanging up the phone. "Are you sure Enola graduated already?"

"Yeah, I'm positive. Why?"

"Because she might be the only one who can save Leo."

"What are you talking about?"

"Well, she helped you see your future with a Vision Quest, right? Gave you something to look forward to, life after demons…. That's what Leo needs."

"Yeah, but there's no guarantees that Leo would see that. I mean, a Vision Quest can take you anywhere, and sometimes it can even be dangerous."

"Damn it, Giles! I don't care that a giant, talking hamburger told you it would happen! Think of the source!" Buffy snapped.

"Couldn't be any more dangerous than what he's going through right now if that stupid New Power is still after him." Piper said.

"A Vision Quest won't change that." Phoebe argued.

"No, but it may show him a way to fight them. Phoebe, he's alone and he's scared, and he's forgotten who he is. I'm afraid if I can't help him now, my children are gonna lose their father."

"It's still risky."

"Yeah, but it's a risk I'm willing to take."

"Ok." Phoebe turned around and uncapped a jar with an ingredient inside.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm making the Vision Quest potion. She showed me how to do it."

"And what about Brody?"

"Paige can take care of Brody. I think she likes taking care of Brody if you know what I'm talking about. Besides, this…. is family." Phoebe glanced at Buffy. "All of it."

"Giles, Angel is not going to hurt Alex." Buffy snapped.

Phoebe and Piper's heads swiveled around to stare at their cousin. "What!"

"The prophecy is wrong." Buffy snapped the phone shut and looked at her staring cousins.

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

Buffy broke down into tears and they went to sit on either side of her and hold her. "This isn't happening. This is all wrong!"

"What did you find out?" Phoebe asked.

"Holtz said that Giles had translated the prophecy and it said that Angel will kill Alex."

"It's not true." Piper said.  
"It can't be." Phoebe added.

"That's what I said, but Giles said he talked to some…. Magical lord and it said that it would come to pass when the first sign shakes the earth, the second burns the air, and the last will…. Turn the sky to blood."

"Earthquake, fire, and blood."

"There was an earthquake this morning." Piper said.

"Which caused the fire at the building Brody took us to."

"What about blood?" Phoebe looked up at Piper and Piper's eyes widened. "The man."

"What man?" Buffy asked.

"The earthquake caused the fire at this building this morning and the man that jumped out a window and survived…. He was hit by a truck right after. There was…. A lot of blood."

"That's not connected to Angel. He wasn't there."

"But it has all the elements, sweetie."

Buffy stood up. "No. Damn it, Angel is not going to kill Alex. That's his daughter. He loves her. Why would he kill her?" She stormed out of the Hall, leaving Piper and Phoebe to stare worriedly after her.


	72. Chapter 72

Chapter 72

Buffy walked into P3 and looked around for Angel. "Hey." She turned to find him walking out with two cases of beer glasses in his arms. The instant he saw Buffy's tear stained face, he set the cases down and rushed over to her. "What's wrong?"

"Oh, it's all messed up." Buffy said, breaking down again.

"What's messed up, baby?"

"I found Holtz."

"Oh?"

"I went to see him."

"And?"

"He said that Giles…. Found something in that prophecy."

"What was it?"

"I called Giles to confirm and he said he was working on it, but I made him tell me the truth." Before Buffy could finish her sentence, the aftershock from the morning's earthquake hit. It was worse than the one before, though. Things started falling all around them and the lighting system on the stage collapsed and exploded, catching the stage on fire. A rafter above Buffy started to fall, but Angel tackled her out of the way. The jagged edge grazed his forehead and blood started to fall from the cut. Buffy dislodged herself from Angel and looked around at the destruction.

Earthquake.

Fire.

She looked at the wound on Angel's head.

Blood.

Piper stood in the middle of the attic looking up at the ceiling. "Leo?" Behind her, Phoebe stood and waited. "You see, I know he can hear me. He just doesn't wanna come."

Phoebe stepped forward. "Let me give this a try. Leo! Leo, you get your butt down here right now or we will summon your ass!"

Leo reluctantly orbed into the attic and Piper looked at Phoebe. "Nicely done."

"It's not safe for me to be here. You know that." Leo said.

"We'll take that risk." Phoebe said.

"What about the boys?"

"They're at school with Alex." Piper said. "Nice try, though. We think we found a way to help you."

"Help me what?"

"Help you stop running."

"It's a Vision Quest." Phoebe said.

"A Vision Quest. No way."

"Leo, don't you dare leave." Piper snapped. "This is not just about you. You are a father and somebody's husband, too."

"Which is why it's too risky for me to be here."

"Yeah, except you're the one that's in danger."

"I'm an Elder. I can take care of myself."

"Actually, you haven't really been yourself lately."

"Look, Leo, the Vision Quest helped me, and we're thinking maybe it could help you, too, you know?" Phoebe said.

"Won't stop the creatures." Leo argued.

"How do you know?" Piper asked. "You've tried everything else. What do you have to lose…. your mind, your family, your life? You've already lost all those things, haven't you? Go ahead, tell me I'm wrong."

"I'll go get the potion." Phoebe headed out which was when the earthquake hit. "Oh my god!" Things fell all around them, crashing to the floor. They heard the same crashes from downstairs. As soon as it was over, Piper and Phoebe exchanged glances and said, "Buffy."

Piper looked at Leo. "You've got to take us to Buffy."

"What?" Leo asked.

"Now! No questions." Phoebe said.

Leo orbed them to Buffy and found P3 in ruins. Angel was putting out a fire on the stage and Buffy was sitting on the floor staring in shock at the blood on her pants' leg from Angel's head wound. "Buffy!" Piper and Phoebe rushed to her as Leo went to heal Angel.

"Piper…." Buffy whimpered.

"It's ok." Piper said.

"It's not ok. Look. Earthquake. Fire. Blood. Holtz was right. Giles was right."

"They can't be. Angel wouldn't hurt Alex." Phoebe said.

"You know he wouldn't." Piper added.

"Can't change prophecies." Buffy said.

"Yes, you can." Piper said as she and Phoebe helped Buffy up and wrapped her in their arms. "We'll stop this. No matter what, we'll stop this."

"Is everyone ok?" Angel asked, walking over.

"No." Buffy said.

"Piper, I'm sorry about the club."

"It's ok. Insurance will cover it." Piper said, still holding Buffy. "Can you stay here and call them? Their number's in my office in my rolodex. They'll come out pretty fast, so I'll need you to stay here and deal with them. Can you do that for me?"

"I…." Angel looked at Buffy. "Sure. Is everything alright?"

"It will be. We've just got twenty things going on at once." Phoebe said, holding Buffy as well.

"Leo." Piper said. He laid his hands on the girls' arms and orbed them back to the attic at the Manor.

"Does someone want to tell me what's going on now?" Leo asked as Piper and Phoebe sat down on the couch with Buffy.

"Giles translated the prophecy." Phoebe said. "It says that Angel is supposed to kill Alex."

"That's not possible."

"We know it's not, but Giles talked to some giant hamburger god and it told him that it will come to pass after an earthquake, fire, and blood." Piper said.

"Which all just happened at P3." Phoebe added.

"Can you orb to Magic School and tell Mrs. Winterbourne to make sure no one comes near Alex?" Buffy asked Leo. "Only me and her and the boys are allowed near my daughter."

"And if she asks, just tell her that there's a threat to Alex." Piper said.

"What do I tell her about Angel?" Leo asked.

"Under no circumstances is he…. He can't be around her…. Not unless I'm there." Buffy said. No one missed the complete and utter pain in her voice as the words hesitantly came out of her mouth. "It's just the way it has to be until we can figure this out."

"And when you get back," Piper said to Leo before he could orb out. "Vision Quest time. Phoebe, can you get that potion made while I straighten up around here?"

"But Piper…." Leo started.

"No buts. Just get it done."

Leo orbed out.

Phoebe was mixing the potion in the boiling pot at the stove while she was on the phone with Elise. Buffy was sitting at the kitchen table going through the Book of Shadows trying to find a way disprove the prophecy. "No, I know, Elise, but something came up. Yes, again, but you don't have to worry about my column." Phoebe said as she ladled some of the potion into the Vision Quest cup. From the other room, there was a loud thump as something heavy fell to the floor and they heard Paige saying, "Ow, ow, ow!"

"I promise it'll…. uh, I gotta go. Wh…." Phoebe quickly hung up and headed out of the kitchen. Buffy reluctantly followed, leaving her place at the table. "Paige? What's goin' on?" Paige was lying on the floor on her back in the dining room. "Pai…. oh, my god! What happened?"

Paige held her hands up for Phoebe and Buffy to grab to help pull her up. Kyle Brody walked down the rest of the stairs to join them. "Par for the course, unfortunately." He said.

"Par for what course, and what are you doing here?" Phoebe asked.

"Trying to protect your sister."

"I lost my Guardian Angel." Paige said.

"You lost your who?" Buffy and Phoebe asked.

"Protection spirits, guides. They're with us all the time." Kyle said.

"Yes. I know what Guardian Angels are. Thank you." Phoebe said.

"Not just the Hallmark thing." Paige said. "It's real. I actually saw mine. I'm surprised we've not seen them before."

"Yeah, the problem is without them, people tend to be vulnerable." Kyle said.

"In my case, accident-prone."

"Ok, I don't understand." Buffy said. "How did you lose your Guardian Angel?"

"Well, actually, we tried to lose mine, but then this demon…. it was a demon, right?"

Paige nodded and said, "Demon."

"Yeah, demon comes along and takes hers instead."

"Can we talk to you for a second, please, over here?" Phoebe asked, dragging Paige and Buffy into the conservatory. "What is going on?"

"What's going on is that we figured out what is killing all of those innocents. The demon is stealing their protectors. We think it's somehow connected to this whole New Power thing."

"And let me guess. This is another one of his hunches?"

"No. It's one of mine. But you have to admit, all of his have panned out so far, right?"

"Yeah. So far, they have. So what's the next move?"

"Well, I'm gonna go I.D. the demon. Have you seen the Book of Shadows? It wasn't upstairs."

"I've…." Buffy started, but Phoebe cut her off.

"Why? You're not gonna show him the Book of Shadows, are you?"

"Yeah, I am." Paige said. "I trust him. I told you that. If it considers him a threat, it'll just zap him. Don't worry."

"Paige, you're my sister. I have to worry."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, why don't you just come with us?"

"I wish I could, but I can't. Leo needs some serious help and Buffy's got a _huge_ problem."

"What's new?"

"What's new is the prophecy that Giles has been working on says that my fiancé is supposed to kill our daughter." Buffy said.

"What!"

Kyle walked over. "Is everything ok?"

"No." Paige turned back to Buffy. "It can't be true."

"No, it can't." Buffy said. "But the prophecy also said that it would come to pass after an earthquake that caused fire and blood."

"There were two earthquakes today."

"And each one of them caused fire and blood." Phoebe said.

"Oh, Buffy." Paige hugged her. "Where are Angel and Alex?"

"Alex is at Magic School with Wyatt and Chris. Mrs. Winterbourne is under strict instructions not to allow anyone near her unless I'm there. And Angel is dealing with the mess at P3 that the second earthquake caused."

"Does he know about the prophecy?"

"What prophecy?" Kyle asked.

"The one that says Angel's supposed to kill his daughter."

"Paige!" Phoebe snapped.

"What? He can know. Maybe he can help."

"How?" Buffy asked. "This entire god damned situation is helpless." She turned and stormed out of the room, not wanting to cry in front of Kyle.

Phoebe sighed. "The Book is in the kitchen. Just promise me you're gonna be careful."

"I promise. I think I can take care of one little demon." Paige said.

"You know that's not what I meant." Phoebe headed up the stairs to find Buffy.

"She lost her what?" Phoebe heard Leo ask as she neared the attic.

"Brody is watching her. She's ok." Buffy said.

"We can't leave her alone if she lost her Guardian An…."

"Buffy said she's fine." Piper said. "Now, would you please focus?"

Phoebe walked in with the potion. The attic was prepared for Leo to go on his vision quest and the candles on the table were lit. "Wow, looks good." She said.

"Should I really be doing this with everything else that's going on?" Leo asked.

"Leo, maybe helping yourself can help Alex and Angel." Buffy said. "I don't know of anything else that's going to help right now."

Leo sighed. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Don't fight it." Phoebe said. "Just let it take you to where you're supposed to be."

"What if I wanna get out?"

"You won't be able to, not until you see what you're supposed to see." Phoebe handed Leo the cup with the potion in it. Hesitantly, he looked at the cup.

"Just sip it." Piper said.

Leo sipped and swallowed before handing the cup back to Phoebe. "Now what?" He asked.

"Make yourself comfortable." Phoebe said. Leo laid down on the floor, his head against the pillows. "Close your eyes and just let it all go." Leo let out a breath and closed his eyes.


	73. Chapter 73

Chapter 73

Phoebe placed the crystal down on the floor around Leo and Piper who sat next to him. Buffy was sitting on the couch shaking her head. "I can't let this happen to my family." She looked at Leo. "What if I do my own vision quest?"

"What would that show you?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know! How to stop it, maybe."

"Sweetie…."

"Don't. I don't need coddling. I need help. I need someone to help me stop what's coming."

"You don't even know if it's true."

"Then how do I find out?"

"Phoebe, you said you and Buffy tapped into your connection as twins to find Holtz, right?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Phoebe said.

"Why don't you use it to get a vision and see if you can figure out exactly _when_ Angel's supposed to…."

"You don't have to say it."

"Thanks. And you can use the vision as information on how to stop it from happening. Do you think that'll work?"

"Maybe."

"But if it's prophecy, it's going to happen eventually." Buffy said. "We can't keep forcing Phoebe's visions and warding Angel off."

"Warding me off of what?" The three women turned to look and saw Angel standing in the door way sipping a glass of blood.

"Nothing."

"Buffy," Angel pinned her with a hard stare. "What're you supposed to be warding me off of?"

"The engagement party." Phoebe lied. "We wanted to ward you off of the fact that we were throwing a surprise engagement party for you and Buffy. She found out and we were trying to keep it secret from you. How's the club?"

"Oh, I'm sorry." Angel sat next to Buffy. "I didn't mean to ruin the surprise."

"It's ok." Buffy lied. "It's only fair. I mean, I ruined the surprise engagement."

"No. But that's nice of you guys to do that. The party, I mean. You don't have to."

"It's no problem." Phoebe said.

"Well, it will be if the club isn't taken care of." Piper said pointedly to Angel.

"Oh, uh…. Yeah." Angel said. "The insurance people said we're all covered. You need to go down to their offices and sign some stuff. I went ahead and called in the repair men to fix the stage and everything so we'd be back up before tomorrow night."

"How are we going to pay them without the insurance?"

"Don't worry about it."

"You paid for it?"

Angel shrugged. "You can pay me back when the insurance money comes in."

"I don't know what to say."

"Try 'thank you'." Phoebe said. "I mean, what a great guy you are, Angel! Such a sweet, nice, great, loving, wouldn't-hurt-a-fly kinda guy." Buffy shot Phoebe a warning glare.

"Yeah." Angel sipped his blood and looked at Leo. "What's going on?"

"Vision quest." Buffy said. "Leo's on a vision quest."

"Like what you did?" Angel asked Phoebe.

"Yeah. Exactly like that." Phoebe said. "Well, maybe not exactly. He's probably going through something else."

"Why isn't he saying anything?" Piper said. "You think he's all right?"

"Yes. I think he's doing exactly what he needs to be doing. You sure you don't wanna help Buffy and I…. With the party?"

"No. I'm fine right here."

"Sweetie, you said it yourself. This is something that he needs to do."

"Yeah, well, I can have second thoughts, can't I? What if something happens to him?"

"Well, hopefully his Guardian Angels are taking care of him."

"I don't think angels have angels, Phoebe. It's redundant."

Phoebe looked at Buffy. "So we should go…. Work on the party now that you know about it."

"Right." Buffy stood up. "Angel, can you stay and watch over them?"

"I was gonna go get Alex." Angel said.

"No!" Phoebe, Piper, and Buffy cried.

"What?"

"I mean…." Phoebe looked at Buffy.

"She's with Wyatt and Chris." Buffy said.

"I'll bring them back too." Angel said.

"I wish you wouldn't." Piper said. "Wyatt's actually in school and learning and socializing."

"And I want to Alex to do that too." Buffy said. "Socialize, I mean. With other kids that aren't her cousins."

Angel shrugged. "Ok."

"Thanks." Buffy looked at Piper. "We'll be back later to check on you guys."

"Good luck." Piper called.

Phoebe and Buffy sat in Buffy's room with the door locked and more crystals around the room to protect them. They were sitting cross-legged on the bed facing each other. "So, we just do what we did to find Holtz?" Buffy asked.

"Yes." Phoebe said. "But I think we can go into the vision with this." Phoebe reached over and picked up a crystal.

"How?"

"We both have to hold this at the same time and when the vision hits, we focus on it and the crystal will take us _into_ the vision. We can snoop around."

"Ok."

"Ready?"

"And willing." Buffy held out her hand.

Phoebe placed the crystal on Buffy's palm and then covered the crystal and Buffy's palm with her palm. They both started to breathe methodically and tapped into their connection as twins in their past life. The vision hit both of them and the crystal started to glow.

When Buffy opened her eyes, she was standing in an abandoned lot. Phoebe stood next to her, looking around at the silent, but somehow loud scene. There was a large portal open to a hellish dimension behind them and in front of them was Buffy, Angel, Holtz, Justine, Lilah, and a fleet of black-clad operatives. Holtz had a screaming Alex in his arms as he ran for the portal behind Buffy and Phoebe. Vision Buffy and Angel ran after Holtz.

Buffy turned and saw a demon standing by the portal. She felt herself sucked towards him and then she and Phoebe were standing in a cave next to the demon.

"So, I've done enough maneuvering to get this kid off my back?" The demon asked.

"The prophecy is rewritten, but the actual destiny still stands." A voice in the shadows said.

"The kid's not off my back?"

The voice in the shadows sighed. "Sahjhan, the child is destined to destroy you."

"But by changing the prophecy, she and her family don't know that. The vampire will believe that _he's_ destined to kill that kid and everyone else will be scrambling to stop it. I've even got Wolfram and Hart helping me out on this one by spiking Angel's blood with his own kid's blood so he thinks she's more food than family. You catching my drift here?"

The voice sighed again. "The death of the child is the only thing that will stop your demise."

The sucking happened again and Phoebe and Buffy were standing in another cave. Scenes from world history flashed across four TV screens stacked side by side in the cave. Holtz was sitting in a chair in front of the TVs watching the images flicker by. Sahjhan suddenly appeared behind his chair, causing Buffy and Phoebe to jump.

"I know it seems like only a moment to you. But two hundred and twenty seven years have passed since our agreement. Empires have risen and fallen. Mankind has harnessed the power of the sun, walked on the moon, and turned arid desserts into fields of green." Sahjhan said.

"What of England?" Holtz asked. "Has it survived the years and destruction?"

"Yes. It went through a rough patch about sixty years ago, but it's mostly unchanged. Warm beer, boiled meat, bad teeth. That's why I moved to LA. Have you followed this part of the history? American Revolution, manifest destiny, westward expansion, the Beach Boys?"

"I understand enough. One thing baffles me. These visions, wars, the weapons of destruction: how is it no one has killed Angelus or Darla?"

"That's why I brought you here, remember? Because your fate and their fate are entwined."

Holtz stood up. "Then let's go. Let's finish this. I want Angelus."

"I know. I want him, too. But we're going to do it right. I haven't waited two and a half centuries to mess it all up."

Phoebe and Buffy blinked and they were back in Buffy's room sitting on the bed. Buffy's face hardened and Phoebe saw the complete fury take over her cousin. "Buffy…."

"Summon him." Buffy said.

"We need to check the Book." Phoebe said calmly, trying to soothe Buffy. "If he's in there…."

"Phoebe!" Piper yelled from the attic. Phoebe and Buffy ran upstairs and into the other crystal cage in the attic. "Something's wrong."

"You're damn right something's wrong." Buffy said, her voice as cold as ice.

"What did you find out?" Piper asked.

"Later." Phoebe said, looking at Angel. "What's wrong?"

"Leo came out of the vision quest and then he was pulled back in."

"What?"

"We've got to do something."

"There's nothing that we can do. He's back in the Quest. Only he can get himself out of it."

"But he was just out. Something made him go back in, something he saw."

"I don't think anything can get past the crystals."

"What about the New Power?" Angel asked.

"I didn't see any floating heads."

"It doesn't mean they weren't there." Phoebe said.

Leo started muttering to himself again and Piper looked at her sister. "Phoebe…."

"No!" Leo yelled.

"Leo. Who are you talking to?" Piper asked.

"I'm afraid he can't hear you." Phoebe said.

"Well, he's hearing someone." Piper started shaking Leo frantically trying to wake him up. "Leo. Leo!"

Behind them, the demon Sarpedon stepped forward to attack, but the crystal cage held. He ran into the bars and was thrown backward, crashing into the furniture behind him. Phoebe, Buffy, Piper, and Angel stood up. "Guess your Guardians didn't tell you about that." Phoebe said.

"That's why I want yours…. so these kinds of things don't happen again." Sarpedon said.

Paige orbed into the attic and stepped forward to throw the potion in her hand at Sarpedon. She stepped and promptly tripped on her own feet, falling flat on her face. "Damn it!"

Sarpedon turned around. "Paige, quick! In here!" Phoebe called. Paige threw the potion at him, which he easily deflects. Paige orbed out and into the crystal cage.

"You're gettin' to be a pain." Sarpedon said. "You can't hide in there forever!"

Kyle peaked around the hallway corner. "Paige?" Sarpedon turned around as Kyle rushed up to the attic door. He came face-to-face with Sarpedon. "What the hell?" Kyle fired point blank, but the bullet didn't hit the demon. Sarpedon knocked the gun out of Kyle's hand and grabbed him by his neck. He held his razor-sharp talon against Kyle's face.

"Leave him alone!" Paige cried.

"No. There's too much at stake. Besides, I could use the leverage." Sarpedon vanished with Agent Kyle.

"Oh, no."

"What just happened?" Angel asked.

"I've got to find Kyle!" Paige walked over to the table and picked up the map and scrying crystal Buffy had left there. She grabbed his gun he'd dropped to use as an anchor to find him.

"So what are you going to do if you find him?" Phoebe asked.

"What do you mean, what am I going to do?" Paige asked. "I'm going to save him. We are going to save him."

"But it's a trap. The demon said so himself. He just took him for leverage."

"So we're just going to let him get killed?"

"He's not going to kill him." Buffy said. "He needs him alive."

"Yeah, but for how long? Piper, help me out."

Piper looked at Paige. "I'm with Buffy and Phoebe here. Sarpedon's really powerful, and he's got all those Guardians."

"Yeah, including mine."

"And that's why you're not thinking straight!" Phoebe said. "Paige, we can't go after him. It's ridiculous."

"Yeah? Well, I'm not just going to let him rot, either." The scrying crystal fell on the map. "I'll go get him myself." Before Phoebe could say anything more, Paige orbed out.

"That's not good." Phoebe said. She went over to the table. "Ok, so we know where they are, all we have to do is mix up a new vanquishing potion and get Paige's spell."

Piper glanced back at Leo. "Yeah, but that would mean we would have to go to the Book, which is in the kitchen and which entails us going downstairs away from the crystals, which means the demon could slice and dice us."

"Phoebe and I made it to my room and covered it with crystals and we were perfectly safe." Buffy said.

"Besides, for all we know, the demon could already have Paige." Phoebe said.

"Us getting killed doesn't change that." Piper said. "Besides, I can't leave Leo."

"Ok, I know this is really hard for you, Piper, but there's nothing that we can do to help Leo. He's got to fight this fight on his own. But we can help Paige."

"And Angel can stay with Leo if it makes you feel better." Buffy added. "Right?"

"Of course." Angel said.

Piper stood up. "All right. Let's just make it fast."

"Ok. Remember, if the demon attacks, grab the amulet." Phoebe said.

"Oh, sure, yeah. No problem."

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe walked out of the crystal cage and headed out of the attic. They snuck down the stairs and Phoebe turned towards the kitchen and went through the dining room. Piper and Buffy stayed near the stairs, keeping a lookout for Sarpedon. Sure enough, he appeared behind Phoebe. "Phoebe!" Buffy cried. Phoebe turned around, but it was too late. She reached out to stop him, but Sarpedon had already stabbed Phoebe with his talons in the abdomen. "Phoebe!" Buffy screamed as her cousin Phoebe slid off the talons and fell to the floor with a thud.

Sarpedon turned and looked at Piper, his talons bloodied. "Next."

"Is you!" Buffy attacked just as Angel rushed down the stairs. Sarpedon sliced Buffy's arm and then managed to stab her in the side.

"Buffy!" Angel yelled, rushing over to her and she started to fall.

Sarpedon took a step toward Piper. "Hey! Where's your amulet?" Buffy asked. She had Sarpedon's amulet in her hand, showing it to him as she lost consciousness.

"No!" Piper cried.

Sarpedon turned and looked at Piper. He used time and sped toward her just as Piper blasted him. He exploded as she looked down and found Sarpedon's razor sharp talons in her abdomen. The force of his forward motion propelled the weapon straight for Piper even after she vanquished him. Wounded and bleeding, Piper fell backward to the floor with Leo's name on her lips.

Angel shook Buffy in his arms. "Wake up, baby. Come on. Buffy, you've gotta wake up! Leo! Leo! Come on, Buffy. Don't let go. You've got to stay here with me. For Alex. Come on. Leo!"

Leo ran down the stairs with a man dressed in black following behind him. "No. Why did you do this?"

"We didn't do this, Leo, evil did." The man said. "It might not be too late, though, to reverse it if you'll join us."

"You can save them?"

"We can save everyone, Leo, with your help."

"Leo?" Angel asked, tears falling down his cheeks.

"Please don't tell them what I did." Leo said.

"So be it." The man in black said. He held his hands out and a beam of bright light shone from the palms of his hands to Leo. The light engulfed Leo completely. After a moment, the bright light disappeared. "Welcome to the fold."

"What do I do next?"

"Heal them."

"I can't heal them, they're dead."

"You're an Avatar now, Leo. You have all you need. You have the powers." The man in black vanished.

Leo turned his attention back to Piper. He stood up and held his hands out in front of him, one hand pointed toward Piper, the other toward Buffy and Phoebe. Bright light beamed from the palms of his hands toward Piper, Buffy, and Phoebe. Just then, Paige orbed Kyle back into the Manor. She watched as Leo healed Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe.

"Leo?" Paige asked.

The beams of light stopped and the three once dead women regained consciousness. Leo reached down to help Piper up as Angel held Buffy to him. "Piper." Leo said gently.

"You're back." Piper said as Paige rushed into the dining room to check on Phoebe. "I thought I was…."  
"Dead?" Phoebe and Buffy said.

Paige noticed the amulet in Buffy's hand. "Where did you get that?"

"Oh, from the demon." Buffy said.

"What, so that's it? It's over?" Kyle asked.

Piper turned to look at Leo. "Is it?" Leo shrugged at her.

"I've never seen you heal anyone like that, Leo." Paige said.

"Did something happen to you?" Piper asked.

Leo tried not to glance at Angel. "What do you mean?"

"In the Vision Quest, you seemed like you were in pain."

"Yeah. Well…. it's something I had to go through, I guess, to see the truth."


	74. Chapter 74

Chapter 74

The Donnas performed on stage at P3 to a crowded room. Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe were sitting in their usual booth watching everything. Once the song ended, Piper turned to Angel. "Thanks for getting this place fixed up so fast. I really, really appreciate it."

"It's no problem." Angel said.

Paige walked up to them. "Hey, ladies and gent. Sorry I'm late. Ooh, you guys look great for being recently deceased."

"We weren't dead, we were just maimed." Piper said. "Leo can't heal the dead."

The waitress walked up to them carrying a tray with three water bottles on it. Paige turned and reached for one, bumping into the tray. The bottles klinked, but Paige's reflexes were back. She swiftly grabbed the bottles without spilling a drink.

"Oh, my God. I'm sorry. My bad." The waitress said.

Paige took her bottle and the waitress left. "I see you got your Angel back." Buffy said.

"Thank God. No pun intended." Paige said.

"What about Agent Brody?" Phoebe asked.

"Who?"

"All right. Kyle. You know, just because we almost got him killed doesn't mean we have to trust him."

"Ah, come on now." Piper said. "Enough of this already. Everything turned out fine, like it always does. Well, almost always does."

"Except for the Avatars." Paige said. "Kyle said that's what the demon called the New Power."

"Doesn't ring any bells." Phoebe said. She looked at Buffy and leaned in to whisper. "We need to go check the Book for that demon in our vision."

"I agree." Buffy said. She and Phoebe stood up just as Leo made his way toward them. He took a seat near Piper. "Well, well, well, look at you. Welcome back." Phoebe said.

"Thank you. It's good to be back. Believe me." Leo said.

"No more voices, floating heads, guilt trips?" Piper asked.

"Nope. Nothing."

"Ever hear of the Avatars?" Paige asked.

Leo stopped and looked carefully at Paige. "Avatars? Why?"

"I guess they could be the big bad everyone's worried about."

Leo reached for his glass. "I'll look into it. But first, a toast to being back together. New beginnings."

"I will drink to that." Piper said. "Now, where do you two think you're going?"

"We've got something to do back at the house." Phoebe said.

"Like what?" Paige asked.

"Like it's mine and Buffy's business and we're not telling." Phoebe took Buffy's hand. "We'll see you guys later." They walked away.

Leo looked at Angel. "Would you like to come with me to get more drinks?"

"I, uh…. Sure." Angel stood up and followed Leo to the bar.

"Listen, about what happened…."

"Leo, I don't even know what happened. All I know is Buffy and her cousins were dead and you did something to fix it. As long as you're not a bad guy now, I'm cool with whatever you did."

"You're not going to tell on me?"

"Why would I? You asked me not to and as far as I'm concerned, you're an honorable man and I respect your decision. You'll tell them when you're ready."

"Thank you."

"Anytime. Do you know what's going on with Buffy and Phoebe? They've been acting weird all day."

"No idea."

Phoebe pulled out a box of books and pushed them over to where she and Buffy were sitting on the couch. "This is everything Prue could find on demons."

"That's a lot." Buffy said, flipping through the Book of Shadows for the second time. "He's not in here."

"That just means that no one in our family's come up against him…." Phoebe handed Buffy a thick book from the box and she got one out for herself. "Until now."

Buffy started flipping through the book Phoebe gave her. "Why would he want to get rid of Alex? She's just a baby. She hasn't done anything to him."

"But according to the vision, she's supposed to."

Buffy gasped. "Oh no!"

"What?"

"The vision! Sahjhan said that Wolfram and Hart has been spiking Angel's blood with Alex's blood!"

"Don't worry about it. While you and Angel were getting ready to go to P3, I dumped all of his blood down the sink."

"Angel's going to have to find a new butcher to go to. He's going to be so pissed."

"He's going to be pissed either way."

"Piper and I are going to have to get a new doctor for the kids, too."

"Why?"

"How else would Wolfram and Hart get Alex's blood?"

"Oh man. That sucks."

"Next." Buffy put the book on the floor and grabbed another out of the box.

"Are you even reading those?"

"I'm skimming and looking at pictures. It's quicker."

"I know what's quicker."

"What?"

Phoebe reached in and got out all of the books. She laid them out, arranging them all so they formed a circle around her. "Turn these pages to reveal, the demon we seek to…. Kill." Instead of saying 'kill' the way it's usually pronounced, Phoebe put on a sort of deep south accent to make 'kill' sound like 'keel'. Buffy was about to laugh at her cousin, but two of the books opened and flipped to specific pages. Phoebe picked up one and Buffy grabbed the other.

"Granok demons." Buffy said. "They were a race of fierce warriors that reveled in the carnage and death they caused. They were found too chaotic and unpredictable by Mesektet and…. Wolfram & Hart. They were transformed into incorporeal beings, unable to interact with the physical world. The dimensional essence of a Granok can be captured and contained by using a Resikhian Urn."

"Mine talks about Sahjhan specifically." Phoebe said.

"What does it say?"

"That he's called the Timeshifter. After being made incorporeal, he became capable of teleporting through time and dimensions. Which, I guess, got him the nickname."

"'Granok physiology grants him superhuman physical attributes superior to that of even a vampire.'" Buffy read out of Phoebe's book. "Great."

"Well, he's not corporeal at least."

"We need this…. Resikhian Urn."

"Where would you find one of those? Ebay?"

Buffy shook her head. "We don't have time to wait for it. I think I know who might have one."

"Who?"

Buffy staked the vampire that had attacked her and Phoebe on the way into the Victorian manor with Phoebe right behind her. "You should've known a vampire wouldn't stop me." Buffy said to Daniel Holtz standing in the middle of the room.

"I wanted to give the others time to leave." Holtz said.

"I need to talk to you." Holtz looked at her wearily and then finally offered the two women seats. "It's about Sahjhan."

"What do you know about Sahjhan?"

"That he's the demon that brought you here. And that he's playing you. He's playing all of us."

"He's a demon. Could you expect any less from him?"

Buffy was a little caught off guard, but she nodded her acceptance. "Good point, but you don't understand. That prophecy you told me about is a fake. Sahjhan wrote it. Angel's not going to hurt our daughter."

"Of course he will."

"No, he…."

"Prophecy or no, it is in his nature."

A growl slipped from Buffy's throat and Phoebe took her hand to calm her down. "Mr. Holtz, Angel wouldn't hurt a fly…. Unless it was an evil fly. But to even think he would harm one hair on his own daughter's head is preposterous. He loves that baby. Sahjhan changed the prophecy because it said that Alex was meant to kill him."

"And how would you know this?"

"I get visions."

"And one of your visions showed you this?"

"Yes. Well, it showed _us_. We used a crystal to…. It's very complicated."

"Angel isn't going to kill Alex. He never was." Buffy said. "Now, you're a man of many resources, am I right?" Holtz nodded reluctantly. "Dealing with Sahjhan, I'm sure you looked up everything you could find on him like Phoebe and I did. So, I know you know what a Resikhian Urn is."

"Yes." Holtz said.

"I need it and I'm pretty sure you have one."

"Why would you think I have one?"

"Like I said, you're a man of many resources and you're not stupid."

"How do I know this isn't a scheme to get me to look the other way? I will have my revenge."

"Holtz, Angel is paying for what Angelus did to your family and to a lot of other people's families for that matter. But the Powers That Be found him to be a champion worthy of a second chance on this earth…. And they gave us a gift that _no one_ could give us. They gave us a little girl. When I said that I would rain down bloody vengeance if you harmed her, I wasn't kidding."

"Why do you love a vampire?"

"Because I don't see the vampire in him. I see the man he is. The _good_ man he is."

"You're not going to fall for this bull are you?" Justine asked, walking in from another room.

"Justine…." Holtz started.

"No! You've worked too long and too hard to let vengeance slip through your fingers. Just because this blonde bimbo walks in and preaches to you about her kid…."

"That's just it, Justine. I know the pain Miss Summers would endure. She's a mother and losing a child…. It's not a pain I wish to inflict on anyone but Angelus." Holtz turned back to Buffy. "I know what happened with Angelus and what you did afterwards to get him back. Your child is special. My vengeance will come, but it won't be on you and yours. Angelus will know the pain he caused me…."

"He already does." Buffy interrupted. "He told me that what he did to your family…. It's the clearest thing in his mind. He carries that memory with him on every mission and with every demon or vampire killed, they're killed in your family's honor. You got your vengeance, Holtz. It was just carried out by someone else."

Holtz took a long moment to consider what Buffy had just said to him. He got up and walked around the room twice. All the while, Justine sputtered on about vengeance not being done and letting down the troops and letting down her. Finally, Holtz turned to Buffy. "The Urn…."

"Daniel!" Justine cried.

"Justine, I've heard enough from you."

Justine turned on Buffy. "Vampire loving bitch!" She threw herself at Buffy, but Buffy was a lot quicker. She grabbed Justine's throat in mid jump, halting her completely without even throwing Buffy off balance. Phoebe gasped and jumped out of her chair and Holtz just stood there and watched everything calmly. "Let me go." Justine croaked. "Let me go! I'll kill you just like I'll kill both your vampire scum and his bastard baby!"

Buffy could see the fear in Justine's eyes as she began to slowly squeeze. "I suggest…." She threw the red head across the room. "That you find a new hobby. If I catch you anywhere near my daughter or Angel, you'll regret the day you were even thought of in your parents brains." Buffy looked at Holtz.

"The urn is here. I'll get it." He turned and headed to another room.

Phoebe turned to Buffy. "Now we have to find Sahjhan."

"I think I know a way." Buffy said. "We'll need Paige, though."

"Why?"

"We need to go to LA."


	75. Chapter 75

Chapter 75

Paige, Phoebe, and Buffy orbed into an alley outside of a bar near Lilah's apartment. Buffy had interrogated Lilah's assistant at Wolfram and Hart and he'd spilled that Lilah usually came to the bar after she finished work. She'd made sure he wasn't lying before having Paige orb them out just as a group of security guards had come into the room.

"So, why do you think this lawyer chick knows where Sahjhan is?" Paige asked.

"Because she's the one that's been on Angel's case for years and she'd do anything to see him brought down." Buffy said. "I'm willing to bet my life that she's the one who Sahjhan went to for help in jump starting his personal prophecy."

"Spiking Angel's blood with Alex's, you mean?"

"Exactly."

"That's just so low. I can't believe someone would do that to a poor, defenseless baby."

"She's not exactly defenseless." Phoebe said. "I mean, she's got Wyatt and she's got us. And look at her parents."

Paige shrugged. "True."

"Do you see her?"

Buffy looked around and finally spotted the scheming lawyer sitting at the bar. She was looking into the mirrored wall backing the shelf of bottles behind the bartender. The bartender served her a drink and then walked away as Buffy and Phoebe took a seat on either side of Lilah while Paige stood behind the woman.

"How'd you find me?" Lilah asked.

"Your assistant." Buffy said.

"I'll have his arms broken."

"Already taken care of."

"And am I next?"

"You know, Lilah, there are so many things I could do to you. I mean, Angel's taught me _a lot_. With transfusions I could keep you alive indefinitely."

"What do you want?"

"My daughter. How could you?"

"It's my job."

"Don't you ever get tired of the whole femme fatale act? How about you try talking to me like a person?"

"Look, I've been doing this a long damn time. I've had to be better, smarter, quicker than every man in Wolfram and Hart."

"So, it's a feminist thing." Phoebe said.

"Don't analyze me, Ask Phoebe. It's a survival thing. I made a lot of devil's bargains and I stuck to them. As a result, I live somewhat dangerously, and quiet comfortably. My mother, who no longer recognizes me, has the best room at the clinic. I get up every morning, put on my game face and do what I have to."

"The thing about a game face? You wear it long enough, it stops being something you can put on and take off." Paige said.

"The game face…. The one I worked so hard to get…. I became that years ago. Just like you've become simpering and good from yours. You three think you can awaken some buried spark of decency in me? Is that the way you help your innocents? I'm far from innocent. But, I'm glad you guys came along, because I was sitting here 'what's it all about' and now I know. It is all about making your lives miserable."

"You back-stabbing, traitorous bitch." All four women twisted around to see Sahjhan standing behind them. "I have a lot of work to do. I can't be in every time/space at once, and here I find you drinking with my sworn enemy's girlfriend and her cousins."

"Sworn enemy?" Buffy asked. "Really?"

"Sahjhan, she found me." Lilah said.

"Ethereal time-traveling demon." Buffy shook her head and stood up. "You're the screwball that brought Holtz back. How's that working out? He's not very fond of demons, is he?"

"You will learn nothing from me."

"Other than that you're her boyfriend's sworn enemy, who brought Holtz back, and when that didn't work out, you came to me. Idiot."

"Hey! You think my life is easy? I'm jumping from one dimension to another. I don't always have sound. Sometimes it's just a visual. Saw you four sitting here all chummy."

"So, why do you wanna kill Angel?" Phoebe asked.

"He wouldn't tell me either." Lilah said when Sahjhan didn't answer. "Not that I need a reason. I was just curious. Did he boink your demon bride? Eat your mother?"

"You all will pay." Sahjhan said.

"No." Buffy moved forward. "You'll pay."

"For what?"

"For getting this bitch to spike Angel's blood with our daughter's blood and for making my friends and family believe that Angel would even _think_ about harming a hair on his own daughter's head."

"What are you talking about?" Lilah asked.

"I guess Mr. Facial here didn't mention it to you, but that prophecy that Angel is supposed to kill Alex is a fake."

"No it's not." Sahjhan said.

"Yes. It is. I saw you talking to some voice in the shadows about changing it yourself because Alex is supposed to kill you. Paige."

"Urn." Paige orbed the Resikhian Urn into her hands.

"No!" Sahjhan shimmered out.

"Damn it!" Buffy cried. She turned to Lilah. "We need to summon him."

"Now why would I know how to do that?" Lilah asked.

"Because you've helped me summon a demon before."

"No, Lindsey helped. I watched. Lindsey's not a part of my firm anymore and I'm not a softie for a cute little blonde with a thirst for blood."

"How about having a soft spot for a cute little blonde who could pop your head off your shoulders with her bare hands? How's that sound?"

Lilah sighed. "I'll take you to Wolfram and Hart, but I can't guarantee anything."

"I can." Buffy said.

"The white room again?" Lilah asked.

"If she can help…." Buffy started.

"Wait, again?" Paige asked.

"When Angel…. I came here. There's a girl in the white room that can help."

"Do you even remember the sequence?" Lilah asked as they stepped onto the elevator.

Buffy turned to the control panel and started punching buttons. She hit the right combination on the second try and the big white button appeared at the top of the panel. Hitting the big button, Buffy gave Lilah a self-satisfied smirk. The elevator turned bright white and then they were standing in the white room.

"What is this place?" Phoebe asked.

"It's everywhere and nowhere." The little girl said, standing behind them. "What are you doing here?"

"I need your help." Buffy said.

"Oh, you again. Now what?"  
"Sahjhan."

"I know of him. Nowadays you can walk right through him, but in the past they were something else. They were all about torture and death. You can relate. Well, they caused a lot of trouble. Don't get me wrong. I like trouble. But I hate chaos. So we changed 'em."

"You made them immaterial."

"Smart girl."

"I did my homework."

"Now they watch, and they can no longer touch. You need a special urn. They're expensive and hard to come by. But you don't just want his essence in a jar. You want something you can sink your teeth into. You remember that these things always come at a price?"

"Want me to kill Lilah again?" The little girl shrugged. And Buffy reached over without hesitation to break Lilah's neck.

"Whoa!" Phoebe cried.

"What are you doing?" Paige asked.

The girl let out a giggle. "I love how you're so willing to do these things without questions. As for your demon made flesh. It's a big ritual…. Again. Here." The girl held up her hand with a folded piece of parchment in it. Buffy held out her hand and the paper appeared there.

"Thanks."

"But don't come back here uninvited again. I don't like visitors who just pop in…. Even if I like the visitor."

The room flared white again and they were back in the elevator. "What just happened?" Paige asked.

"She gave us what we need." Buffy said. "Now, let's go back home and get rid of this demon once and for all."

Buffy straightened up from pouring red sand in a pentagram on the floor of the attic. "Buffy, maybe we should find some other way." Paige said, reading the spell over Phoebe's shoulder.

"There is no other way." Lilah said. They'd made her come too in case they found that the little girl was lying.

"How's that?" Buffy asked Phoebe.

Phoebe glanced at the paper in her hands. "Looks about right."

"What's next?"

"What's next is maybe we reconsider this." Paige said. "Buffy, you're messing with primordial powers of darkness here!"

"Phoebe?"

"Human blood." Phoebe said, holding up a dagger.

"Fun." Buffy took the dagger and slit her hand. She carefully went to the middle of the pentagram and dribbled some of her blood onto it. "Ready?"

Phoebe nodded and looked at the paper. "Corpus granok Sahjhan demonicus."

A blue light began to swirl around the painted circle, then seemed to mold into a vaguely humanoid shape in the middle of the pentagram. Buffy reached for her sword, ready to fight the demon. There was a flash of light and a burst of wind and then the pentagram was dark and empty again.

"What just happened?" Buffy asked.

"It worked."

Buffy turned on the lawyer. "Where is he, Lilah?"

Lilah's cell phone rang and she didn't hesitate to answer it. "Yeah? What time? Thanks." She hung up. "The firm's tech team just registered a sever bio-plasmic disturbance at Battery and Halleck at the same time as the spell."

"Sahjhan?"

"Whatever it was just flipped a two ton truck like a Tonka toy."

"What's going on up here?" Piper asked as she, Leo, and Angel walked in.

"We heard a noise just as we were walking in." Angel added.

"Oh that…." Phoebe waved her hand. "It was…."

"The sound of these two losing their minds and letting loose a dangerous demon on downtown San Francisco." Paige interrupted.

"What!" Piper cried as Phoebe and Buffy cried, "Paige!"

"And I've got to stop him." Buffy said. "He's corporeal now and he's coming after Alex."

"What?" Angel asked. "What's going on?"

"The prophecy in the Nyazian Scrolls that Giles was working on…. It said that you were supposed to kill our daughter."

"It's a lie. I'd never hurt Alex."

"I know. Phoebe and I have been working on it and it turns out that this demon, Sahjhan, has some big vendetta against you and he changed the prophecy to _say_ that you were going to kill Alex."

"Who's Sahjhan?"

"You don't know either?" Lilah asked.

"And what the hell is she doing here?"

"Just helping out."

"Leo, can you send her back to LA?" Buffy asked. "We're done with her." Leo sighed and waved his hand, orbing Lilah back to Wolfram and Hart.

"Buffy…." Angel started.

"Sahjhan changed the prophecy because it really says that Alex is supposed to kill him."

"Now?"

"No, not now. Later. When she's older. Now we've got to stop Sahjhan because that spell Phoebe just cast was supposed to corporealize Sahjhan and bring him here, but it didn't. Now we've got to find him."

Angel nodded. "Let's go."

"Wait for me." Phoebe said, walking over.

"Paige?" Buffy asked.

"Fine." Paige walked over to orb them all out.

"Wait." Piper said. "We're coming too." She and Leo stepped over and they orbed to Battery and Halleck.


	76. Chapter 76

Chapter 76

The driver of the pickup that Sahjhan had overturned sat hunched up on the curb of the street. Buffy walked over to him and sat down next to him. "Hey, are you alright?"

"I tried to stop it. It's all my fault." The driver said.

"What's your name?"

"Um, Al Stokley. Not even my truck."

"Hi, Al, would you mind telling me what happened here?"

"Ah, I hit…. Oh god. I-I hit a guy, a man."

"This man you hit, where is he?"

"I don't know. There…. there's no way he could have gotten up." Al looked over at the paramedics working on a guy on a stretcher. "God, those poor people."

"You didn't do anything wrong."

"It's all my fault."

"No…. It isn't." Buffy patted the guy's back and glanced over at Angel investigating the underside of the overturned pickup. He reached to touch the front bumper then examined his fingers.

Angel walked back over to the group with a pocket knife opened in his hand. He'd scraped some of Sahjhan's blood off the bottom of the truck. "Can you use this?" He asked Phoebe.

"Yeah. Let's get back to the Manor." Phoebe said.

Justine was in the underground chamber where Holtz first awakened, looking around. She looked up to see Buffy, Angel, Leo, Phoebe, Paige, and Piper orb in. Buffy stepped forward. "Where's your boyfriend?"

"It was all lies every bit of it. All he wanted was that kid…. to punish Angel. He never cared about anything else." Justine muttered. "Then you took that away from him."

"Of course I did. Sahjhan was using him."

"He had a purpose!"

"A purpose?" Buffy laughed. "He had an old song that had already been sung before." Justine tried to attack Buffy, but the Slayer intercepted the hit and tossed Justine away. Justine came back up and attacked again and again, Buffy tossed her on the ground. "Oh, would you just stay down?"

"Um no." Justine jumped back up and launched herself back at Buffy. She just ended up on the floor again. "I trusted the wrong man."

"So…." They all turned to see Sahjhan standing in the door. "My home. Uninvited guests. This can't end well." Sahjhan looked around. "Hi Justine. I remember you. One of Holtz' groupies. You tried to cut off my head." He hit Justine and she went flying across the chamber. "Can't tell you how much I missed doing that. I also missed gravity, friction, and smashing things to pieces." He picked up a chair and smashed it to pieces on the table. "Let's start with your skulls."

"Or yours." Angel said.

"Angel. I'm guessing I have you and your Slayer slut to thank for the whole mortal coil thing."

"Call her a slut again and see how fast I bury you."

"Really? Doubt that one. You're not really my enemy. You're in my home and I'm gonna kick your ass, but you where never the point."

"It was Alex."

"Boy! Can't put one over on you, can you?" Sahjhan rolled his eyes."Oh, wait already did. It's pretty freaky the first time you see your name in a true prophecy all carved in blood on an official scroll. 'The one sired by the vampire with a soul will grow to manhood and kill Sahjhan.' Me!"

"So you planted false prophecies, that Angel would kill his daughter." Piper said.

"Of course I did."

"What about Holtz?"

"What about him? He was useless. He wanted to kidnap and raise your kid as his own! I'm living with a knife over my heart for eleven hundred years and he's into petty revenge! If he'd just killed the damn thing we could have avoided all this!"

Angel morphed and attacked Sahjhan, but Sahjhan deflected him into the wall. Buffy hit Shajhan and knocked him down. Before Sahjhan could do any more, Angel was back and the two of them started slugging at each other. Phoebe grabbed a hold of one of the fire bowls and tossed the burning coals into Sahjhan's face. Sahjhan shook them off and looked at Phoebe, "Do I look like I need more skin problems?"

He went to attack Phoebe, but Buffy knocked her out of the way as Angel attacked again. They exchanged more blows, then Sahjhan tossed Angel hard against the wall. Buffy attacked, but Angel tackled Sahjhan away. They went at it some more before Sahjhan grabbed him by the throat and threw him onto the table.

Angel's face morphed back to human as Sahjhan picked up one of the legs from the broken chair and raised it to stake Angel. "Paige!" Buffy cried. As Sahjhan got ready to stake Angel, Paige opened the jar she was holding and Sahjhan was sucked into it in a swirl of light and screams. Buffy rushed over to Angel. "Are you ok?"

Angel groaned as Buffy helped him up. "I've been better."

"Where'd Justine go?" Piper asked, looking around.

"I think she ran out after Sahjhan knocked her out." Leo said.

"So, what are we going to do with this?" Paige asked.

Buffy took the urn from her. "I think this needs to be sealed up and buried in a safe place."

"Or Leo could take it up to the Elders." Piper said. "I mean, they watch over the stuff that made us gods."

"Leo?"

"I'll see if they'll accept it." Leo said, taking the urn. He orbed out.

"Can we go home now?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes!" Piper and Buffy agreed.

"I need to call Giles and tell him about all of this so he doesn't try anything stupid." Buffy said.

"You think he would?" Phoebe asked.

"I think Giles still doesn't trust Angel completely and he would take Alex away if it would save her. Come on." Buffy took Angel's hand. "Let's go home."

It was 5:05 am and Piper was working at the table, a map open in front of her and a book open to the side. Angel was downstairs with Phoebe and Paige working making dye and potions. Buffy paced back and forth across the attic, trying to stay awake. It had been two weeks since the ordeal with Sahjhan had happened and things had gone back to normal. Paige and Kyle had been sucked into a noir book to solve a mystery and Piper was determined to discover who the Avatars were.

Buffy and Piper were both agitated with their significant others. They knew the two men were hiding something from them. And every time they asked one of them, they got the same answer: "I don't know what you're talking about." Buffy looked over as Piper sighed and drew a connecting line across the map and reached for a push pin.

Just then, Leo and Angel walked into the attic and Piper accidentally poked herself with a pin. "Ow!"

"What happened? Are you ok?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. Nothing a little sleep can't fix."

"Here, let me heal that."

"No."

"Come on."

"I said no."

"Piper, this is ridiculous. We have to talk about this."

"Actually, what we need to do is find where the next demon attack is gonna be, and I think I just did." Piper looked at Buffy. "A pentagram, naturally."

"What do you want from me? What do I have to do to prove that I've changed, that I'm ok?"

Piper inhaled and stood up, walking over to the door. "Did Phoebe and Paige finish making the dye?"

"You didn't answer my question."

"Oh, I have to answer your questions, but you don't have to answer mine?"

"What question?"

"The same question Buffy and I have been asking you for several days now. What aren't you telling me…. us? What aren't both of you telling us?"

Leo shook his head and tried not to look at Angel. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh. Right. Excuse us." Piper took Buffy's hand and pulled her out the door.

"Piper…." Leo said, following her out. Angel sighed and followed, glancing at the lightening windows.

"I can't get into this right now with you, ok? We've got an invisible demon killing innocents, and for all we know, they could be working with the Avatars."

"They're not working with the Avatars."

"Oh, yeah? How do you know?"

"I don't! I mean, I just…. I don't think they're the threat everyone thinks they are."

Phoebe and Paige stepped out of the kitchen just as the group reached the dining room. "Why?" Phoebe asked.

"Because…."

"If they're so powerful, wouldn't they have attacked by now?" Angel asked.

"Oh, sending a demon to possess you doesn't count?" Buffy asked Leo.

"Still, I think that was their way of communicating with me, with us." Leo said.

"Why didn't they just try calling you, Leo?" Paige asked.

"Are you hiding something?" Phoebe asked.

"No." Leo said.

"Yes." Piper countered. She turned to her sisters. "Are you sure those are gonna work?"

"Yeah. As sure as I can be at 5 a.m." Paige said.

"Before you go…." Leo started.

"Do you know where the demon's gonna attack?" Phoebe asked.

"They're making a pentagram, and there's only one point left, so we need to get there before sunrise." Piper said.

"Piper, you can't walk out on this!" Leo said.

"He's right." Buffy said, stepping over to her cousins. "We should orb."

"16th and Mission." Piper said.

"Got it." Paige orbed them out of the manor.

Buffy and Phoebe sat in an old abandoned car shell while Paige rested on the hood. They were all exhausted and half-asleep. Piper stood outside of the car and in the alleyway. "Ok, it's almost dawn and nothing's happening. Can we go home and go to sleep now?" Phoebe asked.

"Shh. Just stay focused." Piper said.

"Right, focused." Paige echoed, stifling a yawn.

"Maybe you drew the pentagram wrong." Buffy said.

"I know how to draw a pentagram, thank you." Piper said.

"Yeah, but did you use a felt marker?" Phoebe asked. "The thickness of the tip led us astray a couple of blocks, huh?"

"We are not going home. What's the matter with you guys? Do you wanna save an innocent or not?"

"Of course we do." Buffy said.

"It's just, uh…." Paige started to finish, but she trailed off.

"What? It's just what? Now you're not telling me something?"

"Leo's what."

"What?"

"We just think that you may have been so eager to avoid Leo that you miscalculated the demon attack." Phoebe said.

"What she said." Paige agreed.

"All right, fine. I admit it. I may be avoiding Leo, but that does not mean I am wrong about this." Piper said.

"Why? Why are you so upset with him? He's been an angel lately." Paige turned to Buffy. "And speaking of angels, why have you been upset with Angel?"

"Yeah, well, the angel thing is the problem." Piper said.

"Wait, you're mad at Angel?" Phoebe asked.

"No! Leo being an angel. He's been too perfect, even for him, and I just keep waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"And I know Angel's hiding something." Buffy said. "He's a horrible liar."

"Why don't you just talk to them about it?" Phoebe asked.

"We have!"

"About a dozen times." Piper said.

"And they both think we're crazy or something."

"Which is why I am channeling my frustration into something useful."

"I just want this demon to attack soon, so I can make my breakfast date with Kyle." Paige said.

"Yeah, see, breakfast is not a date." Phoebe said. "Dinner's a date. Lunch is definitely maybe a date. Breakfast? Always just breakfast."

"As long as he doesn't talk about the Avatars, it can be breakfast, lunch, or dinner, and I will consider it a date." Phoebe's cell phone rang, interrupting Paige. "Who is calling you at this hour?"

Phoebe looked at the ID and put the phone down. "No one."

"Avoiding someone?" Buffy asked.

A car pulled into the alley, cutting off all conversation. "Is that our innocent?" Paige asked.

"We're about to find out. Get the dye." Piper said. The driver got out and opened the warehouse door. "They have to become visible to attack. Let's go." They got into the warehouse just as the demon Malvoc punches the innocent in the chest. The impact sent the innocent across the warehouse. "Hey!" Piper blasted Malvoc, hitting him in the arm.

Malvoc looked to his left and said, "Kill them" before vanishing.

"Throw the dye!" Buffy cried.

Phoebe and Paige threw the vials of dye up in the air. Piper waved her hands and broke the vials mid-air sending the dye sprinkling down on the three demons below, making them visible. Two of the three demons had energy balls in their hands. One demon threw his energy ball, but Paige deflected it with her orbs. The energy ball was sent back at the demon, vanquishing him.

"Heads up, guys." Phoebe called.

The second demon threw the energy ball at Phoebe. Buffy waved her hand and used Prue's powers to send the energy ball back to the demon. It hit the demon square in the chest, vanquishing him. Piper blasted the third demon, but she missed him. He glared at them and vanished.

"Well, that didn't go too well. They were a lot more powerful than I thought." Piper said.

Paige checked on the innocent. "He's still alive."

"Ok, let's get him to Magic School, and we'll find out who they are."

"And make more potions." Buffy added.


	77. Chapter 77

Chapter 77

Piper took down a glass bottle of an ingredient off the shelf as Phoebe walked into the kitchen with Alex. Buffy was right behind her playing with Alex over Phoebe's shoulder. "You know, the good thing about getting up so early is how much you could get done." Phoebe said. "I mean, already today, I've made demon dye. I've saved an innocent. I e-mailed in my column, plucked my eyebrows, and I've gotten to play with my niece. If it wasn't for sleep deprivation, I would be ok."

"What about the demons?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, I couldn't find anything in the Book to help identify them. But I did get to read up on the family history. Did you know that Beatrice Warren only had one leg?" Phoebe chuckled and turned to look into the pot on the stove. "What is this? You making spaghetti sauce?"

"No. That's, uh, demon blood." Phoebe dropped the stirring spoon and backed away. "I got it from the salvage yard. I was gonna use it to scry for them after I make the vanquishing potion."

Buffy saw the bottle that Piper had gotten down and put on the counter. "Wow. Jacklebeet. So, exactly which state are you trying to blow off the map?"

"I don't wanna take any chances."

"We need two kitchens." Phoebe said.

"Do you know where the beetle toe is?"

"I think it's up in the attic." Piper's entire demeanor changed. "Boy, when you're avoiding something, you really do a number, don't ya?"

"I seem to remember someone doing some avoiding a little while back."

"Yeah, if you're talking about Leslie, you're absolutely right. But my big sister gave me some advice that I'm gonna give back to you. Stop dodging. Just talk to Leo."

"On the subject of dodging, who called this morning?" Buffy asked. Phoebe didn't answer. "Yeah. See, your 'I'm covering something' look hasn't worked on me ever, so spill."

"Ok, but you guys can't tell Paige, cause I don't want her to get all paranoid."

"Why would she get all paranoid?"

"Darryl actually thinks Brody had something to do with Sheridan's disappearance." Piper sighed and Buffy shook her head. "Yeah. That's why I'm keeping it low-key. Darryl's on his way over. We're gonna talk about it while Paige is on her date."

"Oh, he's talking to us again?" Buffy asked.

"Kind of. Baby steps."

Leo orbed into the kitchen. "Hi."

"Hi." Piper looked at Phoebe. "I'll be in the attic." She walked out.

Phoebe looked at Leo. "Well, go talk to her, would you? Hurry up! Go!"

"Right." Leo took off after Piper. The doorbell rang as Phoebe glanced at her watch. She handed Alex to Buffy and they headed out to answer the front door.

Phoebe opened the door and Darryl stepped into the house. "Hey."

"Hey." Phoebe closed the door behind him.

"Wow, she's gotten so big." Darryl said, gently touching Alex's hand.

"That's what kids do." Buffy said.

Darryl nodded. "Is this a good time to talk?"

"Uh, actually, yeah." Phoebe said. "Paige is out on a date. What did you find out?"

"Nothing."

"Nothing. Ok, well, nothing is good, right?"

"No. I mean, I can't find anything. It's like Sheridan's disappeared off the face of the earth."

"What are you saying?" Buffy asked.

"I think that maybe Brody did something to make Sheridan disappear…. something bad, maybe."

"No. I don't believe that." Phoebe said.

"That's because you don't want to believe that. Brody may have saved your butts, I get that, but if he did something to hurt Sheridan…. wrong is wrong."

"Ok. Well, maybe I can get a premonition and see where she is."

"No. No magic. I told you. I've done some soul-searching. I wanna help again, but I don't wanna go there anymore."

"Darryl, you've got to get over this." Buffy said. "I mean, really, one bad experience with magic can't outweigh all these years of good, can it?"

The front door opened and Paige walked in, stopping dead when she saw Darryl. "Hey."

"Hey, Paige." Darryl said.

"Hey, Darryl."

"Uh, I thought you were on your date." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. So did I."

"Look, um…. tell Piper I said hello, ok?" Darryl said. "Take care."

"Take care." Phoebe said.

Darryl left the house as Paige turned to Buffy and asked, "We're friends again?"

"Yeah. Weird. Bygones." Phoebe answered, walking by Paige and heading upstairs. Buffy and Paige followed behind her. As they were almost to the attic, an explosion sounded from up there. They ran into the attic and found Piper picking up broken glass on the attic floor. Leo kneeled behind her trying to help, but she wouldn't let him. Angel was standing to the side looking confused and obviously wanting to help, but he seemed like he knew he shouldn't.

"What happened?" Buffy asked.

"Let me help." Leo said.

"Don't!" Piper snapped.

"Piper, please."

"Can someone please just tell us what happened?" Paige asked.

Piper stood up and put some of the pieces she picked up back in the kettle. "The potion blew up, and, uh, Leo's an Avatar."

"What?" Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige cried.

"Oh, you know, the gathering storm, looming threat, that would be Leo. And Angel knew!"

"What?" Buffy asked, turning to her fiancé.

"We're not a threat." Leo said. "We're trying to save the world from itself."

"Wait…. did he just say 'we'?" Phoebe asked. "I think he just said 'we.'"

"You know, you wanted the truth, and I told you. They said you had to come to it on your own. I said you could handle it."

"Handle what, that you're what everybody is afraid of, even the Elders?" Piper asked.

"You knew!" Buffy asked Angel.

"I…." Angel started as Leo said, "They're afraid because they don't understand. They can't understand. The Avatars are beyond Good and Evil. They're everything we've been searching for, a life without demons."

There was an awkward moment of silence that was broken by Paige. "Ok, he's cracked."

"Absolutely." Phoebe agreed.

"Why would you keep something like this from me?" Buffy asked.

"He asked me not to tell you." Angel said.

"I'm your fiancée. I'm the mother of your child. I've never lied to you. You've _never_ lied to me."

"I didn't lie!"

"'I have no idea what you're talking about.'" Buffy mocked. "Does that ring any big frickin gongs!"

"Buffy…."

"Piper, I beg you not to be closed to this." Leo said. "I have never been more clear about anything in my life. It's everything we've been searching for, everything we wanted, I promise."

"I think you need to take the boys to Magic School." Piper said.

"But…."

"Please. I need time to think about all of this."

"Take Alex and Angel too." Buffy said, handing her daughter to Leo.

"Are you sure you can trust him?" Paige asked.

Piper sighed. "I can trust my husband with the children. Now, please, go." Leo walked out of the attic.

"Buffy…." Angel started.

"Just go, Angel." Buffy said, not looking at him. Angel sighed and followed Leo.

"Do you think Leo's telling the truth?" Phoebe asked.

"It would be a really stupid lie if he wasn't, don't you think? Sorry."

"It's ok."

"What are you gonna do?" Paige asked.

"I don't know," Piper said. "But we have a demon to vanquish first and an innocent to protect, so…."

"Yeah, but…."

"Look, just remake the potion for me, and I'll go get cleaned up, and be careful of the beetletoe." Piper left the attic.

"Buffy…." Phoebe started.

"Don't." Buffy walked out of the attic as well.

"Ok, we have bigger things to worry about than potions." Paige said.

"I agree. We have to save Leo." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. We're gonna have to ask for Kyle's help."

Piper walked down the stairs and into the conservatory. Buffy was sitting on the couch, staring out the window, with her knees drawn up to her chest. "Have you seen Phoebe and Paige?" Piper asked.

"No." Buffy said. "Why?"

"They're not here." Piper sat down next to her cousin. "Are you ok?"

"He's never lied to me."

Before Piper could say anything, Leo orbed into the conservatory. "Hey."

"Have you seen Phoebe and Paige?" Piper asked.

"Aren't they upstairs making potions?"

"No. How are the boys and Alex?"

"They're fine. Miss Donovan and Angel are with them."

"And the innocent?"

"Sleeping, still under the effects of the potions. How are you guys?"

"How are we?"

"I mean, with all this."

"I don't know. I…. We have questions."

"Well, you can ask me. I can answer them now."

"What are they exactly? Or should I say, what are you exactly?"

"I'm the same man you married, Piper, someone who wants nothing but the best for his family."

"And the Avatars are gonna give us that how?" Buffy asked.

"By using their powers…. our powers…. to change what has always been, to remake what is."

"That sounds like a load of crap." Piper said.

"I know it does, but it's not."

"You know, for all we know, they're exactly like everything else we've been fighting." Buffy said.

"They wanna end everything we've been fighting against, put an end to the struggle once and for all."

"That's impossible."

"I know. I used to think it was, too, but now I know it's not. They wanna make the world better for everybody."

"And those floating heads that tormented you, they made your life better?" Piper asked.

"That was just a way to…. get my attention, make me open to a new idea."

"Leo…."

"Think about it. A demon-free world? It's everything we've always dreamed about. Don't you think we should at least consider that after everything we've all been through?"

Three Sokol demons appeared in the manor. The first one threw an energy ball at Leo. He moved and the energy ball missed him, hitting the cabinet in the kitchen hallway. The second demon threw another energy ball. Buffy dove into Piper, pushing her out of the way. The energy ball hit the planter on the dining room table. Buffy, Leo, and Piper stood up and Leo shot a beam of electricity at the first demon, vanquishing him in a burst of flames.

The second demon threw an energy ball, hitting Piper on the arm. With one hand, Leo threw more electricity at them, missing the second demon, but vanquishing the third. The second demon fell to the floor. He clutched his neck and an arm band slid across the room toward him from the side.

Leo checked on Piper's wound, but she brushed him away. "Just a graze." She said.

Leo pushed the dining room table aside, startling both Buffy and Piper. He walked over to the remaining demon and shot all his power at the remaining demon. Buffy and Piper stared at Leo in shock. Leo turned back and held out his hand to heal Piper's wound. She sighed and let him do it.

"They really want that innocent." Buffy said.

"I just wish I knew why." Piper said.

"There'll be more of them." Leo said.

"Yeah, well, at least we have a way to find them now." Buffy picked up the arm band left on the floor.

"I don't mean just them." Leo said passionately. "I mean demons. And they'll just keep coming back, over and over, just like they always have, unless we let the Avatars stop it…. forever."


	78. Chapter 78

Chapter 78

"Buffy! Piper?" Paige called from downstairs.

"Upstairs!" Piper called from upstairs.

"Guess they're back." Buffy said.

A couple of minutes later, Phoebe and Paige walked into the attic. "What happened?" Paige asked. "Are you guys ok?"

"No thanks to you." Piper said.

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"What it means is it would've been nice to have a vanquishing potion when we were ambushed, a vanquishing potion that you were supposed to make, by the way."

"Oops."

"Yeah, oops. Where the hell were you?" Buffy asked.

"I was at Kyle's."

"What were you doing there?" Leo asked.

"Frankly? Trying to save you."

"Trying to save me. I don't need saving. I know what I'm doing."

"Do you know Kyle's parents were killed by the Avatars?"

"That's impossible. It goes against everything they believe in."

"Well, you're gonna have to come up with a better argument than that if you go downstairs." Phoebe said.

"Why is that?"

"He's downstairs?" Piper asked. "Why is he downstairs?"

"You don't wanna know." Paige said.

"Yeah. We do." Buffy said.

"He thinks you're a threat, Leo, to all of us." Phoebe said.

"Well, he's wrong."

"How do you know?"

"Look, I know this is a shock to everyone, but he didn't have to tell us the truth." Piper said. "He wouldn't have if it was a bad thing."

"Everything, and I mean everything, points to them being bad." Paige said. "Even the Elders think so."

"Because they don't understand." Leo said.

"So, what, we're just supposed to take your word for it?" Phoebe asked. "How do we know you're not possessed or something right now?"

"Come on."

"No, Leo, I'm serious! How do we know?"

"Because they haven't threatened anything we believe in! It's all good."

"We at least need to think about it." Buffy said.

"Since when did you jump on this Avatar train?" Paige asked.

"When I started thinking about what my daughter's life and my nephews' lives would be like fighting the battles we've been fighting our entire lives."

"But it's what we do. It's what we were born to do." Phoebe said.

"That does not mean we have to die doing it." Piper said.

"Yeah, maybe you should try to talk to Kyle, hear his side of the story." Paige said.

"We don't need to."

"We need to vanquish demons again." Buffy said, picking up the potions she and Piper had made. Piper picked up the armband and she and Buffy each took hold of one of Leo's hands and he orbed them out of the attic.

The three of them orbed into a cave in the Underworld. Piper held up the arm band. "Lose something?" She tossed it to them.

As they watched the armband, Buffy threw the potion and vanquished two demons standing in the foreground. Leo held out his hands and released an enormous amount of power of light and fire at the other demons, vanquishing them where they stood. The light ebbed and the smoke cleared, revealing that the demons were gone.

"What was that?" Buffy asked.

"All part of the package." Leo answered.

"That was a lot of power." Piper said.

"Yeah, but it's used wisely. See, the Avatars could destroy us or force us to change, but they don't. Isn't that enough reason to trust them?"

Buffy smiled slightly. "You know just what to say, don't you?"

Leo shrugged. "Did I just say the right thing?"

"Hey, you know we respect power and we respect those who know how to use it for the right things. So, yeah. You said the right thing."

"Let's go get our innocent." Piper said.

"And Angel." Buffy added.

"You're not mad at him anymore?"

"Well, yes and no. I understand that he was just being honorable, but I'm his fiancée and the mother of his child. Secrets can't be kept between us."

Leo orbed Piper, Buffy, Angel, and the innocent into the alleyway where everything started. The Innocent was still sleeping from the potions. "Is he going to be ok?" Angel asked.

"He should wake up in a couple minutes." Piper explained.

"Thanks, guys." Leo said.

"For?" Buffy asked.

"For believing in me."

"I always have." Buffy said.

"And I always will." Piper added. "It's the only way…."

"I know."

The innocent started to come to. As soon as he woke up, Malvoc appeared in the alley. In his hand, he had an energy ball that he threw it at the innocent, killing him. Malvoc looked at them. He raised his hands, showing them the marking on the back of his wrist. "Thanks for helping." He said before vanishing.

"What just happened? We vanquished them!" Buffy said.

"No, we didn't." Leo said.

"Yeah, we did." Piper argued.

"No, we vanquished the wrong ones. He had different markings."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"We were tricked."

"Yeah, well, we wouldn't have been if Paige and Phoebe weren't off chasing Avatars instead of helping us." Piper snapped. "Let's go." They orbed back to the Manor and saw Paige laying unconscious on the floor. "Paige?"

"She's fine." They turned and saw Phoebe sitting in a chair. Kyle was pointing his gun at her. "You and I are gonna have a little chat." He said to Leo.

Buffy took a threatening step forward, but Angel grabbed her arms. "Don't."

"You better listen to him. I don't want to hurt her, but I will if I have to." Kyle turned his attention back to Leo. "Your kind is responsible for a nightmare that won't go away, for all those nights waking up in a sweat begging that the flashbacks were just a dream."

"Kyle, please." Buffy said.

"It's not a dream, though, is it, Leo? You Avatars are as real as the air that we breathe and just as vacant. My parents were viciously murdered by them. So if I were you, Leo, I'd do what I say." In one hand, Kyle held the gun against Phoebe's head, and in the other he had an ancient looking vial.

"The Avatars couldn't have killed your parents, Kyle." Leo said. "They believe in peace."

"I'm gonna give you three seconds to summon one of your buddies here, so I can kill them. If you don't, I'm gonna kill you."

"I can't do that."

"One…."

"Avatars aren't the enemy, Kyle."

"Two…."

"Leo!" Piper snapped.

"Three!"

"No!"

Piper moved aside, Phoebe dove to the side, Buffy and Angel dove away from Leo, and Leo swung around and shot a beam of light clear through Kyle. He let go of the vial as his gun discharged and he was flung backward. The bullet missed Phoebe completely and Kyle hit the far end of the conservatory doors. The vial from his hand hit the floor and broke. Black smoke was released from the vial. It rose up and found its way directly to Leo. As Piper watched, it entered him through his nose and mouth.

Leo gasped and fell backward to the floor. Piper kneeled down next to him. "Leo?"

"Piper, it wasn't supposed to happen like this."

"No, it's ok. It's ok." Phoebe slowly got up with Buffy and Angel's help. "Not him, please." Piper cried. "Leo? Leo, come on."

Suddenly, everything and everyone froze. Leo looked around to see Alpha and Beta appear in the conservatory. "I don't understand. How did this happen?" He asked.

"The potion is real, Leo. It kills Avatars." Alpha said.

"The Collective weakens with every last breath you take." Beta said. "We told you, the truth must come to them in their own time, not yours."

Leo gasped. "But, Piper…. And Buffy…. they…."

"Understood, yes, but the others were not able to," Alpha kneeled down next to Leo. "And so we became the enemy out of fear and ignorance."

"And an innocent was lost because of it." Beta said.

"Everything was lost."

"I was just trying to make things right with Piper." Leo said.

"Of course. But you've learned, and now you can save yourself. You have it in you to rewind time to just before you told Piper the truth, if you hurry."

"If we all hurry." Beta added.

Leo gasped. He closed his eyes and Alpha and Beta closed their eyes also. They concentrated and time rewound itself. A moment later, Leo looked up to see Piper frozen over the potions table, the ingredients she was adding frozen in mid-air, and Angel frozen across from her.

"It worked." Leo said.

"Yes, but at a price. All that's happened has taken a great toll on our power. As it is, we may not have enough to implement our plan." Alpha said.

"To rid the world of demons, to end the duality requires all that we had." Beta said.

"But if the sisters come to the truth, won't their powers add to the collective?" Leo asked.

"Yes, but it may not be enough."

"You must not try this ever again, Leo." Alpha said. "You can never tell Piper about us, not until she's truly ready." Beta and Alpha disappeared and time resumed.

"Leo, please, this is not the time or place, ok? I don't want to get into this right now. This is a little dicey."

"Ok." Leo said.

"Thank you."

"You're distracted."

"Please, don't tell me how to demon hunt."

"I'm not. I didn't mean to. Let's just focus on getting the demons. Not too much beetletoe. You don't want to blow up the place, do you?"

"No. Why are you being so nice all of a sudden?"

"I don't know. I guess I just realized I can't force things on you. If you're gonna trust me, you're gonna come to it in your own time."

"Hmm. There may be hope for you yet."

"Bottle up the potions. I think I know where the demons are gonna attack next." Piper picked up the potions bottles from the table just as Buffy walked in with Alex in her arms.

"Hey, what's up?" Buffy asked.

"We're about to go kill some demons. Wanna help?" Angel asked.

"Sure. Let me put Alex back in with Wyatt and Chris."

Buffy, Angel, Piper and Leo were standing in the dining room. Buffy, Angel, and Piper each held two potion bottles in their hands. Three Enoch Demons disguised as Sokol Demons appeared in the conservatory. They were surprised to find them already there waiting for them.

"Now!" Leo cried.

Buffy, Angel, and Piper threw the potions just as Leo fired a wave of power at the demons. When it cleared, the demons were gone. Piper looked at Leo. "That was easy."

"Too easy." Buffy said.

"Wait." Leo walked over to the conservatory. On the side, Malvoc appeared in the room carrying a Sokol arm band. He looked up and saw Leo. "Hey." Leo blasted Malvoc with beams of electricity and Malvoc exploded. "All right. Now all we have to do is get rid of the other gang and we can bring the innocent back."

"All right, I give up." Buffy said. "How did you figure all this out?"

"You don't want to know, believe me."

Piper nodded. "So," She turned to Buffy. "You and I have some shopping to do."

"I completely forgot! I'll go get the kids." Buffy rushed upstairs.

"Shopping for what?" Angel asked.

"Wedding stuff." Piper answered. "For the bride, that is."


	79. Chapter 79

Chapter 79

The photographer reached out and adjusted Wyatt's position as Wyatt tugged on his collar. He was dressed up in nice clothes as were the rest of the family, including Buffy, Angel, and Alex. Leo stood behind Wyatt, holding him steady in front of him, Piper sat with Chris in her arms, Buffy sat beside Piper with Alex in her arms in a little pink dress and her brown hair done with little pink rose berets, and Angel stood behind her next to Leo.

"All right. Ok. How's this? Looks like a little angel." The photographer said, turning and heading back to his camera.

Piper glanced back behind her at the backdrop. "Uh…. yeah, now that you mention it, not so big on the whole up there-y look. Maybe we should try the brown again?" She looked at Buffy for confirmation and the petite blonde shrugged.

The photographer walked behind them and changed the backdrop. He turned and headed back to his camera again. "Ok, then. Let's do this."

"Uh, you know what? It is kind of blah, huh? I like the Moroccan one." The photographer looked at Piper.

Leo leaned forward to talk with Piper. "Uh, Piper, other people are waiting."

"It's Buffy and Angel!"

"It's ok, Leo." Buffy said.

"And anyways, I've been waiting for years. Ever since Wyatt was born, I wanted a family portrait, and it's always one thing or another. He's going you-know-what, and you're going bonkers."

Leo looked at the photographer and chuckled. "She exaggerates a little."

"Now that I have everyone here, I'm not gonna be pressured into making any hasty decisions."

"You know, at this point it wouldn't be."

"Look, can I help it if I just want it to be perfect?"

"Piper, it's gonna be perfect no matter what the backdrop. You look beautiful."

"Ok, then. Let's do this." The photographer said. He took his switch in his hand. "All righty, then. Here we go." He held up his left hand with a blue octopus hand puppet on it. "Happy Octopus!" The camera snapped. "Good job. Nice smiles, everyone."

"Ok, got it. Great." Leo said. "So, uh, I gotta go."

"Uh, we get three poses. All of us and then two poses with you, me, and the boys." Piper said. "And you can't miss Buffy, Angel, and Alex's session!"

"I know, but something's come up."

"Are we going to do this or what?" The photographer asked.

Piper stood up, handing Chris to Buffy, and turned to look at Leo. "It's the Elders, isn't it? What, we can't have a grace period? We can't have a normal family moment without them jingling?"

"It's, uh, not always gonna be like this, Piper." Leo said.

"And what, is it like a dog whistle now? Only you can hear it?"

"You have keys to the car, right?" Without answering her, Leo backed away and headed for the door.

Angel looked at Piper. "I, uh…. Do you want to finish?"

Piper sighed. "Leo's not here. What's the point?"

Buffy laid her head on Piper's shoulder since she couldn't hug her cousin with an armful of kids. "The point is you've still got family here."

"How about I get out of the picture and the two mommies have a portrait together?" Angel asked.

Piper smiled slightly. "Sure. Why not?"

Piper examined her soufflé cooking in the oven while Buffy sat at the table flipping through a wedding magazine. Leo walked into the kitchen and started to say something, but Piper held up a hand to stop him. "Don't make any loud noises. I have a soufflé in the oven, and you have done enough damage for one day."

"I'm sorry." Leo said. "I know it was…."

"I don't know what I was expecting. I don't know why I thought it would be different. I don't know why I thought we could have a normal family when you're just a blur."

"Well, that's a little extreme, don't you think? It's not like I'm running away all the time. It was once."

"No. No. I mean the picture." Buffy took out one of the photos in the envelope beside her and handed it to Piper. "In the picture…. you're just a blur." She showed the family portrait with a blurry Leo. "But you know what? What the heck? I'm gonna hang it anyway. Better than nothing."

Leo looked through the other pictures briefly. There were some of Piper, Buffy, and the kids, and there were the ones of Angel, Buffy, and Alex, and the final picture was Buffy and Angel's engagement picture. He finally looked at Piper. "I couldn't say no. It was important."

"Yeah, and so is Paige's dinner date tonight with Kyle, so if you're done being errand boy for the Elders, can you give the kids a bath? Because I need to finish her dinner." Piper headed out with her blurry Leo portrait and went to hang it up.

"They want us to protect a demon."

"They want us to do what?" Buffy asked, following Leo and Piper.

"They want us to protect a demon just until, uh…."

"Yeah, I heard you the first time and…."

"And the answer is absolutely not." Piper said, leading the way back to the kitchen.

"I was gonna say that."

"This is how things spiral out of control!"

"But…." Leo started.

"No! No buts."

"Leo, we don't _help_ demons." Buffy said. "We kill demons. Most of them are bad."

"This one's not." Leo argued.

"How do we know that?" Piper asked.

"Because _I_ know it."

"Yes, and you've been so clear on it in the past."

"That's not fair."

"Isn't it? We're not helping a demon, Leo. End of discussion."

"I'm sorry, but I didn't know where else to bring her."

"Excuse me?"

"She's…. in the attic. Now."

Piper and Buffy headed back out to the dining room as Piper said, "There is a demon in the attic, and you didn't tell me?"

"I tried, but you wouldn't let me."

"Oh, sure. Blame me."

Just then, the came Seer running down the stairs. "Good god." Buffy said as Piper raised her hands to blast the Seer. Leo "accidentally" nudged Piper so she missed and the blast hit the family portrait on the wall. Piper fell flat on her face on the floor from Leo's nudge.

"Piper!" Buffy cried, bending to help her. The Seer stood up and saw the black scorch marks on the wall. She ran down the stairs and hid behind Leo peering over his shoulder at Piper and Buffy. Angel, Phoebe, and Paige appeared at the top of the stairs. "What is your problem!" Buffy snapped at Leo. "Are you crazy?"

"Hold your fire." Leo said. "I brought her here. We need to protect her. She has information that we need."

"I don't think so." Phoebe said. "Piper, are you ok?" She, Angel, and Paige headed down the stairs.

"Ok." Paige said. "Kyle's coming tonight. There will be no demons in this house."

"Not any night." Piper said.

"That surly one is your wife?" The Seer asked Leo.

"'Surly.'" Piper repeated. "Do you know her?"

"Who cares? Just blow her up!" Paige said.

"You can't." Leo said.

"Watch me." Piper retorted.

"Fine. Kill me." The Seer said. "Who cares if I have enough to kill all upper-level demons?"

"I really think you should hear her out." Leo said.

"Especially after hunky guy here went to all that trouble to rescue me from those demons."

"So, wait. Are you telling me the Elders are getting us to save demons from other demons?" Buffy asked.

"Unbelievable." Piper said.

"It's not what you think." Leo said. "The demons don't want her working with us. We just have to protect her until…." The doorbell rang, cutting Leo off.

"Ok. That's Kyle." Paige said. "Get upstairs!"

The Seer headed for the stairs and paused next to Paige. "Relax. Relax. Everything's gonna be great, and later, everything's gonna be really, really great." She chuckles knowingly, then headed upstairs.

"Really?" Paige asked as Phoebe rushed past her, pushing the Seer up the stairs.

"Hey! Easy with the goods, there, sister. Just don't let him eat the eggplant!"

"What?" Piper asked. "What's wrong with my eggplant?"

The doorbell rang downstairs and Buffy was the closest to the stairs. She sighed and headed down to answer it so Paige and Kyle weren't disturbed. "Don't mind me. As you were." Buffy said as she went through the foyer. Behind her, Paige and Kyle stood up to go upstairs. Buffy chuckled as she opened the front door and found Darryl on the porch.

"Darryl, hey. Now is not really a good time…. Not that I'm not glad to see you."

Darryl stepped into the house, just missing Paige and Kyle heading upstairs just as Angel was coming downstairs. "Listen, um, I'm here about Inspector Sheridan." Darryl said. "And what I think he did to her."

"Ok, well, what…." Buffy glanced at Angel. "What's going on? Did you find her?"

"No, and when I confronted Brody on it, he said that she jumped to a top secret task force, and that's why there's no record."

"So that's it, right?"

"No. There's always a record somewhere. So I looked for something that maybe you guys could scry with."

"And?

"Listen. Her apartment, her records, her files, all have been cleaned out. It's like it was a professional job. Someone does not want me to find her. And I think that someone just went upstairs with your cousin."

Buffy sighed. "Forget happy endings. We can't even have a happy beginning."

Darryl took out a pen. "Look…. I found this jammed behind Sheridan's desk. I mean, it's a long shot. But, you know, if she used it…."

Buffy took the pen from Darryl and looked at it. "I'll see what we can do."

"That's all I'm asking." Darryl let himself out.

Buffy looked up at Angel. "I'm not interrupting Paige right now. Let's find Phoebe."

"She's in her room." Angel said.

"Thanks." They headed upstairs to Phoebe's room.

Buffy didn't even need to knock. Phoebe opened her door and said, "What's up?"

Buffy smiled. "Darryl dropped off a pen that belonged to Sheridan."

"The scrying stuff is upstairs." Just as they were turning to go upstairs, a loud crash sounded from the attic. They rushed towards the stairs as Paige left her bedroom. "How's it going in there?"

"Not loving the demon interruptus."

They all ran in just as the last demon exploded. The Seer glanced at the burn on her arm and stood up. "Is that proof enough for ya, sweetie?"

Piper was kneeling down in front of some broken baby furniture. She sighed and stood up. "Well, I guess Chris won't be using this. I gotta stop trying to keep anything nice in this house."

Leo was checking on the Seer's wound. "Ouch!" She cried. "You know, that hurts."

"Yeah, well, get used to it." Buffy said. "Cause if this is a setup…."

"This is not a setup." Leo interrupted.

"Can someone please just remind me why, uh…. We are protecting a demon?" Paige asked.

"Well, apparently, she's selling out all of her buddies. So we're doing the witness protection thing." Piper said. "You know, if you want us to make a deal with the Elders to make you human, I think you need to give us something."

"Wait! Back up. Did you say 'human'?" Angel asked.

"I know. I know." The Seer said. "I wouldn't actually have a soul. But I could live with that."

"This is so weird." Phoebe said.

Paige stood up. "Ok, and also a waste of my time. Because I was in the middle of something." She turned and headed back to the attic door.

The Seer stood up and stopped her. "Ok, ok, fine. I'll give you something. A little…. Enticement."

Paige motioned for her to hurry up. "Bated breath."

"Ok, sure. I have a little black Book of Demons. But I also have the skinny on a little thing called…. the Avatars."

"What do you know about the Avatars?" Leo asked.

From the hallway, Kyle appeared and made his way into the attic having overheard what the Seer just said. "Yeah. What do you know about 'em?"

"Oh. Didn't I tell you he'd like the dress?" The Seer asked Paige.

"Stop doing that." Paige snapped.

Kyle walked into the attic and stood next to Paige. "Can we get back to the Avatars, please?"

"I know that they're close…. closer than you think." The Seer said. "Could be here any minute."

Kyle backed up and rushed out of the attic. Alarmed, Paige rushed after him. "Uh…. Kyle."

"Ok, pow-wow. Pow-wow. Let's go." Phoebe motioned Piper, Angel, Buffy, and Leo to her. The Seer also walked over to them as they left the attic. "Not you. You stay here." They left the Seer in the attic as they walked downstairs. "Ok. Here's what I don't get. Why does the Seer want to be human if the Avatars are so close?"

"You'd think she'd want to be evil if evil was about to take over." Buffy said.

"Unless the Avatars are good." Leo said.

"Yeah, right. Is that possible?" Phoebe asked.

"Either way, I just need her gone, and I want my boys home." Piper said. "So why don't you go up to the Elders and see if you can make a deal?"

"Meantime, I'll stay with the Seer. Since we have similar powers, maybe I can tap into hers and find out what she really knows." Phoebe said. "Buffy, would you mind helping me?"

"Sure." Buffy said with a shrug.

"Good. Go." Piper said.


	80. Chapter 80

Chapter 80

While waiting for Phoebe and Buffy to return, the Seer looked through a photo album with pictures of Wyatt and Alex inside. Angel was standing just outside the attic door, guarding the Seer. Buffy and Phoebe walked into the attic with a potions vial in her hand.

"You know," The Seer said. "You girls really should take better care of your things. There are some singed pages here."

"Well, you should tell your demon friends to be more careful when they attack next." Buffy retorted as Phoebe put the potions vial on the table.

The Seer went back to looking through the album. "Look at this. You're like a family, and there's, like, pictures of fun times and stuff."

Phoebe pointed to a photo. "Look at Wyatt. That's his first birthday and the day that Alex was born." She casually touched the Seer's hand as she pointed at the photo.

"Yeah."

"Are those my earrings?"

"Yeah. Sorry. They called out to me." Phoebe touched the earrings and the Seer's ear, but she still wasn't getting a premonition. "You're so close, and…. And…. And you like each other, and you're happy, and…."

Phoebe put her hand on the Seer's shoulder. "'Happy and'….?"

"And could you push a little harder on that right shoulder? If you're not gonna get a premonition, you could at least work out that knot."

"Can't blame a girl for trying, you know?"

"Hey, when I first started getting my visions, I had to touch people, too. Phone."

"Hmm?"

"Phone."

Phoebe's phone rang. "Oh, phone! You're good. Hello? Uh, Darryl, now's not really a good time again. Let me call you back? All right." Phoebe hung up. "I mean, not that I'm ok with you stealing my stuff, but those earrings really do look amazing on you. Then again, what wouldn't?"

"You know, Sugar, much as I enjoy the flattery and the bonding and even the touching, you're not getting anything out of me until you make me human."

"Ok. I get it."

"What I don't get is why you want to be human." Buffy said. "I mean, did the bad stuff just start to get to you after a while?"

"No. The good stuff did. In my line of work, I see a lot and good and bad, and the good's just better. Problem is, I can see it, but I can't feel it."

"That's the thing about Vision. It's a blessing and a curse." Phoebe said.

"Yep. You know, being a demon is about feeding the endless emptiness, and I'm sick of it. I long for the…. the subtle notes in-between."

"And the Avatars have something to do with that, right?" Buffy asked. The Seer just looked at her. "Right. Bargaining chip."

"Look, it's not like I'm being tight-lipped and mean for no reason. I can't give you what you want, or I won't get what I want." The Seer stared at Buffy for a moment. "I see. You're not even sure I have anything you want."

"Look, we want to trust you. Really, we do. But…. you're a demon."

"How about I help you guys with your other problem instead? You know, the thing with the cop…. uh, Sheridan. If I find her for you, then would you trust me?"

Buffy and Phoebe exchanged looks and Angel shrugged his shoulder. Phoebe grabbed the pen Buffy had given her from Darryl and handed it to the Seer. The Seer smiled at her and took the pen.

Darryl waited for Phoebe and Buffy outside the Hawkbrook Mental Health Facility. The Seer shimmered Buffy, Phoebe, and herself into the arched hallway area behind Darryl. "Darryl." Phoebe said.

"You're late." Darryl turned around and saw the Seer. "Who is this?"

"Uh, The Seer." Buffy said. "Seer, Darryl. Darryl, Seer. Let's see if Sheridan's here, shall we?" Buffy turned and headed for the main building with Phoebe.

Darryl rushed in front of them to stop them. "Whoa, hold on a second here. You really think after all this time I wouldn't recognize a demon? I can't believe you brought a demon."

"Actually, she brought us." Phoebe said.

"Go easy on him." The Seer said. "His wife's had him sleeping on the couch all week."

"How does she know that?" Darryl asked.

"Seer." Buffy said. "Get it? She sees things. She's perfectly harmless and actually very good at what she does."

"Yeah, I can't hold a candle to her." Phoebe added.

"Oh, that's so sweet and so not true." The Seer said before turning to Darryl and saying, "And don't worry. She'll get over it. Just bring her some of that marzipan that she likes."

"You think…." Darryl smiled. "You mean, like, the little fruit? I can't believe I'm listening to a demon."

"Don't be rude." Buffy said. "She found this place. Let's go."

"What a fool I was thinking that this crazy-ass stuff wouldn't happen anymore like this." Darryl pointed to the Seer who had taken a short detour and was walking on the grass. She spread her arms out wide and raised her face to the sun as she spun around in circles.

"I know. It's why you don't hang out with us anymore."

"But you got to admit it: you sort of miss it, don't ya?" Phoebe asked.

"What is your demon friend doing?" Darryl asked.

Phoebe rushed to the Seer and grabbed her hand. "Uh-oh. Ok. There's plenty of time for this when you're human."

"Oh, come on." The Seer said. "Take off your shoes and let me feel the grass through you."

"Yeah. We gotta get back before Leo does. Otherwise, he'll flip." Phoebe led the Seer up to the main building.

"You coming, Darryl?" Buffy called back over her shoulder as she followed Phoebe and the Seer into the main lobby.

"What kind of place is this?" The Seer asked.

"It's a mental hospital."

"Oh, whoa. I've never seen this side of good in my visions before. It's so…. bad."

"Yeah. Well, there's a downside to being able to feel things sometimes."

"Well, I'd still take good that's not always good over bad that's never good."

"Somehow, I know exactly what you mean."

"Yeah. I'd try that one." The Seer pointed to a door. Darryl tried the door and found it unlocked. Inside was an office complete with a desk and a computer. Across the office was another closed door. Darryl headed for the door. "There's more."

"It's Sheridan." Darryl said, opening the door. Buffy and Phoebe stepped into the room. Inside, Inspector Sheridan was in a coma hooked up to an IV. Darryl went to check on her as Phoebe reached for her cell phone. "I told you Brody did something to her."

"Paige, please pick up the phone. Pick up the phone." Phoebe said into her ringing cell. She called back four times before giving up. "We need to get back home and try to find Paige."

Buffy looked at the Seer. "Would you mind?"

The Seer touched Buffy and Phoebe and shimmered them back to the attic. Angel was arguing with Leo. "They're fine!" He yelled before realizing they were back.

"Are you two out of your minds!" Leo cried.

"No." Buffy said, crossing her arms defiantly.

"What did you think you were doing?"

"Finding Sheridan with the Seer's help."

"And we found her." Phoebe said. "Kyle put her in a coma!"

"This is ridiculous!" Leo said, walking out of the attic.

Buffy and Phoebe exchanged glances and followed with Angel right behind them. "Leo, we need to get Paige away from Kyle before she ends up in a coma, too." Phoebe said.

"You know, I just can't get over the fact that you two were crazy enough to take the Seer out of the house."

"Well, we needed to find out if Paige was dating a madman, and we did, and she is." Buffy said. "So, Leo, you need to go get her."

"You know, you could've waited for me, and I could've taken her."

"I came back, didn't I?" The Seer asked. She'd quietly followed everyone else.

"Because you need us."

"And because she likes us." Phoebe added.

Leo looked between Phoebe and the Seer. "Ok, are you two buddy-buddies starting to read each other?"

"What are you afraid of, anyway? That I'm gonna tell her your dirty little secret?" The Seer asked.

"What makes you think I have any secrets?"

"Hey. Hi." Buffy called. "Look, Paige is in danger. We have to get Piper out of Magic School so we can get Paige out of Kyle's apartment. Ok?"

Leo sighed. "Ok. But don't…. go anywhere…. and make sure these potions are near you. Ok?" Leo gave Phoebe and Buffy potion vials. "She's no good to us dead." He pointed at Phoebe and the Seer. "And don't make me come back and separate you." Leo orbed out of the dining room.

Phoebe went to the drawer to get a pouch to put the potions bottles into while the Seer sat on the edge of the dining room table. "So…. ok, so if the Avatars are bad, wouldn't it be safer for you just to stay a demon?" Angel asked.

"You're wondering if hubby is wrong about the avatars." The Seer said.

"Is it possible that they're good? Is it really possible?" Phoebe asked.

"It's a smart question one I'm sure to answer for you once I get my lap pool and the ability to feel."

Buffy sighed, annoyed that the Seer wouldn't answer the vital questions. "Fine. But…. first you're gonna have to I.D. some of your demon buddies for us."

"Ok."

"I'll go get the Book." Angel said, heading up the stairs.

The Seer looked at Buffy. "You're future is looking pretty good with him."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked.

"You'll see soon enough."

"You can't give me a hint?"

"Not when your love's concerned. It's forbidden to mess with it."

"Really?"

"Really. Only you two can decide your fates now."

"What do you mean by that?"

"I mean that you two have spent so many years going against what fate had in store for you, fate just gave up. You're writing your own destinies now."

Buffy nodded, impressed. "Wow."

Angel came back down the stairs. "Did I miss anything?"

"Nothing I can't tell you later." Buffy took the Book and sat down on one side of the Seer. Phoebe took the Seer's other side and Angel stood behind them. They started flipping through the Book and the Seer started pointing out her enemies.

"Ok. Furies…. Toxic. Emphasis on 'ick'…. hate me. Oh. The grimlocks…. Emphasis on the 'grim'…. hate me."

"Ok, so what I'm gathering is pretty much every demon in this book hates you?" Phoebe asked.

"Pretty much. Which is sad because they're my family. Well, I mean, it would be sad if I had feelings."

"Well, don't worry. I'm gonna put something in the spell about that."

"Thanks. You really care about what happens to me, don't you?"

"Yeah, I do…. We do, I guess."

"That's nice. I like that."

Leo and Piper orbed back into the Conservatory. "Hey…. where's Paige?" Buffy asked.

"She stayed with Kyle." Piper said.

"What? Even after you told her?"

"We didn't get a chance to." Leo said. "Kyle beat us to the punch."

"And apparently she's ok with it." Piper added.

"Yeah, well, you know what? I am not ok with it." Phoebe said.

"Me either." Buffy said.

"Well, neither am I." Piper said. "But first things first. We need to get this little demon creature out of the house."

"We need to get the information about the Avatars so I can use it as leverage against the Elders." Leo said.

"You know my terms." The Seer said.

"Your terms are ridiculous." Piper snapped.

"Look, what if I personally guarantee you get what you want?" Leo asked.

"Oh, I'm supposed to trust you now?" The Seer asked.

"What is with you two?" Piper asked.

"Look, all I know is the Avatars are a powerful force, and your secret weapon is locked in here." The Seer tapped her temple with the tip of her finger.

"Uhh! Phoebe, would you please speak to her?"

"Ok." Phoebe said. "Remember how you said that you can sense that I care about you?" The Seer nodded. "Well, I can sense that you care about me, too. So, please. Give me the information that we need."

"I can't tell you. But I can show you." The Seer held out her hands to Phoebe and Buffy.

"Why me?" Buffy asked.

"Because you two are connected. And two heads are better than one when it comes to believability with grouchy over there."

"Watch it." Piper said.

Buffy and Phoebe grasped hands and then each place a hand on the Seer's to receive the vision. A bright white glow shone where their hands touched. Angel and Piper watched Phoebe and Buffy carefully. They both started to smile.

"Phoebe?" Piper asked.

"Buffy?" Angel asked.

School was over and Buffy and Phoebe waited outside for the kids. An older Wyatt, Chris, and Alex ran over to them with a little boy and a little girl. "Hi, aunt Phoebe." Wyatt and Alex said.

"Hi, Wyatt." Phoebe said.

"Hi aunt Buffy!" Wyatt hugged Buffy.

"Hi, big guy." Buffy said.

"Mommy!" Alex and the little boy cried, hugging Buffy tightly as the little girl grabbed Phoebe yelling, "Mommy! Mommy!"

Phoebe scooped her up and spun her around. "Whoo! Hi! What are you doing, my little lady bug?"

"Mommy, Connor was scaring me about the demons again."

"Connor, it's not nice to tease." Buffy scolded her son. "What did I tell you about the demons? They don't exist anymore. Not since the Avatars."

"They're smiling." Angel said. "Right?"

"That's good." Piper said. "Right?"

"They're seeing Utopia." The Seer said. "No demons…. beyond good and evil." Suddenly the Seer gasped and pulled her hands away from Phoebe and Buffy. The two cousins didn't open their eyes though. They were seeing the Seer run into a cave with a demon stepping into the cave in front of her, blocking her escape. The Seer turned around and tried to escape the way she came, but there was no way out.

"You betrayed me. And now you pay." The demon zapped the Seer. The power swirled around her, attacking her much like a swarm of bees. It surrounded her until she exploded.

Buffy and Phoebe gasped out of the vision and they stared at each other in confusion. "What? What was it? What happened?" Piper asked.

"We saw the most beautiful thing ever…." Buffy said.

"And the most terrible." Phoebe said, looking at the Seer.

The Seer walked into the Sitting Room. "Now you know why I'm doing this."

"Yeah. With no demons in the future, you'd be extinct." Buffy said.

"If I even get to that future, which, if Zankou has his way, I won't."

"No demons?" Piper asked.

"Because of the Avatars." Phoebe said.

"That's what we saw." Buffy said.

"Before we saw the Seer being killed."

"But let's keep in mind that the future's volatile. Ok? The choices we make, the things we do…. Could change it. What you saw may never happen." Leo said.

"But if the good part of what we saw can happen, that would be great, because it was incredible." Buffy said.

"I was so happy and calm and peaceful, and my little girl…. oh, gosh, she was so cute." Phoebe said.

"Connor looked just like his father." Buffy said.

"He was quite handsome and Alex is so beautiful."

"Yeah. Not normally big on the rug rats, but they were cute." The Seer said.

"Now I'm even more worried about Paige." Phoebe said. "Kyle wants to destroy something that could potentially be really great."

"Ok, hang on a second." Piper said. "We don't know any of this for sure, and even you made the Avatar future seem threatening."

"Well, duh." The Seer said. "If I made it sound peachy, you wouldn't have helped me. The fact is, I didn't see anything threatening. How 'bout you, Leo?" Caught off guard, Leo remained quiet.

"Ok, seriously, what is it with you two?" Piper asked.

The Seer stood up. "Are you gonna tell her, or shall I? I told you I liked a challenge. So what's it gonna be?"

"Look…. apparently what they've seen….." Leo said. "Is that…. I know the Avatars are good…. because I'm an Avatar."

"What? That's insane! What does that mean?" Piper asked.

"That means I believe in what they want: a world beyond good and evil."

"Wait. Are you saying that you've been living in our house as an Avatar, and you haven't told us?" Buffy asked.

"Look, I'm the same old Leo."

"Only…. not!" Piper said. "Is this how you went from psycho crazy guy to happy-happy guy? Because you became an Avatar?"

"What changed for me was knowing we could have this life that we always wanted…. a life without demons. You know? They showed me this peaceful world: happy, like Buffy and Phoebe saw in their vision."

"The point is not 'happy.' The point is, why didn't you tell me?"

"Well, I couldn't tell you until you were ready. Everybody has to come to the truth in their own time."

"Ok, Leo, you know what? Don't guru-talk me, because you are in far too much trouble if you think…."

"Ok. Guys, guys, can we just put this on hold for a second?" The Seer said loudly.

"She's right." Buffy said. "This can wait. She can't. I've seen her vanquish, and we have to make her human right now. She held up her end of the deal. Now it's the Elders' turn."

"Ok, well, I can't exactly go to the Elders and say, 'The Seer saw Utopia.'" Leo said. "They're not gonna believe me."

"No, but they'll believe us." Phoebe said, taking Buffy's hand.

"Right." Buffy agreed. She turned to the Seer. "Piper's gonna help you get your stuff together for your new life."

"And if I were you, I'd go upstairs and get the dress that matches those earrings, cause you're gonna look amazing in it. We'll be right back with the spell." Phoebe, Leo, and Buffy orbed out of the Manor to the Great Hall.

Odin was sitting on the couch looking through a book. Phoebe cleared her throat to get his attention. Odin looked up. "What are they doing here?"

"We're here to give you what you want." Phoebe said.

"So. The Seer told you something."

"Yes. She told us that the Avatars' future is a Utopia." Leo said.

"That's not possible."

"We've seen it." Buffy argued.

"It's gonna take more than that."

"That's why we're here to show it to you." Phoebe stepped forward and held out her hands to Odin. Buffy took one of Phoebe's hands and held her other out to Odin. He placed his hands on their and they glowed. Odin's eyes closed as he saw the same vision that Phoebe and Buffy had been shown before.

Odin opened his eyes and broke contact with the girls. "It's not possible. This must be some sort of trick."

"You've seen the vision. Take your time sorting it out. But we will need that spell." Buffy said.

"But this might be all a sham."

"Then it's not the Seer's fault. She's just the messenger." Phoebe said.

"But you do have to honor your end of the deal." Buffy added.

Odin nodded and a slip of paper appeared in his hands. He handed it to Phoebe and Leo orbed them back to the attic just as Piper walked in. The Seer was in the middle of being vanquished and the demon that had done it was shimmering out. Angel was laying on the floor across the attic, unconscious. Buffy rushed over to Angel as the Seer exploded.

"That wasn't you." Piper said to Phoebe.

"That was the demon from our vision." Buffy said, helping Angel stand up.

"We can't keep doing this. There's gotta be a better way."

"There is a better way." Phoebe said. "She showed it to us and it was beautiful. I think I want to meet them."

"And I want you to," Leo said. "But…. I think you need a clear mind to do so, and I don't know that now's the right time."

"Now is the best time." Piper said.

"You sure?"

"We're sure." Buffy said, walking over.

"Call them." Piper said. Leo closed his eyes and the other Avatars appeared in the attic. "We're listening."


	81. Chapter 81

Chapter 81

Leo stood in front of the stove and took the thick omelet out from the frying pan. He put it in the middle of a plate and started on the next omelet. Piper stood next to him cutting various fruits. Buffy and Angel were working on buttering the toast as they came out of the toaster.

"I don't know what more proof you need. You told me yourself it sounds great." Leo said.

"It does." Piper agreed.

"So, what's the problem?"

"Burning toast."

"What?"

"The toast, it's burning."

Just then, the toaster popped. "Sorry." Buffy said, grabbing the toast and tossing it in the garbage.

"Now, see. There's a question. Your Avatar friends are promising this big, bright future." Piper said. "Um, will there be burning toast?"

"Piper, be serious." Leo scolded.

"I am. You know, they say they're gonna rid the world of evil, bring about a better way. What else are they gonna get rid of?"

"Nothing else. We had this conversation."

"Yeah, I know, but…."

"You talked to the other Avatars. They answered all your questions."

"Still, I…."

"What more do you need to know?"

"Well, if you'd let me finish a damn sentence, I'd tell ya. Look, the more I think about the whole thing, the more it worries me." Leo took a breath to answer her, but Piper stopped him. "Save the pitch. I've heard it, and I'm not saying it doesn't sound great, because, obviously, it does, especially after everything we've been through, but…."

"But?"

"But it's a huge decision. I mean, it's one thing to save the world from evil every week. It's another thing entirely to change the world just because we can. I mean, isn't that a little cocky?"

"No. In this case, it's a leap of faith, one that I'm willing to fight for because I have faith in the Avatars."

"Yeah, but not everyone else has reached your level of faith yet."

"I have." Buffy said.

"Me too." Angel said. He suddenly turned to the kitchen door. "Was that the front door?"

"I didn't hear anything." Piper said.

"I did." Buffy said. She and Angel carefully walked out into the dining room. The front door was open wide.

"That's odd. Did you leave that open?" Piper asked Leo as they moved towards the front door.

"No, I orbed in." Leo said.

Kyle Brody stepped out from the sitting room into the Main Hall behind Leo. "You son of a bitch!" Kyle threw a potion bottle at Leo and time slowed down and then screeched to a halt.

"That was close." Leo said.

"Too close." Alpha agreed. "That's the second time he's tried to kill you, Leo. We need to do something about this."

"All right. Well, I'm not gonna do anything until you unfreeze Piper and the others. I can't keep lying to them." Alpha nodded and Buffy, Angel, and Piper unfroze.

"WATCH…." Buffy yelled before realizing what was going on. "Out?"

"What are they doing here?" Piper asked.

"Saving his life." Beta said.

"This vile contains an ancient potion that kills avatars, Piper." Alpha said. "Which means that someone must have told Agent Brody that Leo is one of us now."

"Paige." Angel said.

"All right. What do you want from me? I'll kill her later." Piper said.

"Make no mistake, Piper. This is a serious matter, one that demands our immediate attention." Alpha said.

"If even one of us were to die, it could weaken the collective to the point where we might not be able to implement the change." Beta said.

"You know, well, maybe you guys should have thought of that before you killed Brody's parents." Piper snapped.

"Piper." Leo warned.

"What? That's why he views them as a threat. That's what he thinks happened."

"Do you view us as a threat, Piper?" Alpha asked.

"You know, actually, I'm still working on that one. Thanks."

"We didn't kill his parents, Piper." Beta said. "That's not what we're about."

"She'll discover what we're about in her own time, as Phoebe already has. As Buffy already has. And as Angel already has." Alpha said. "But we are running out of time. Agent Brody is not the only problem that we face. Even as we speak, the demon Zankou is mobilizing the underworld to try and stop us as well." Alpha reached out and took the potion bottle. "If you truly desire a life beyond good and evil, Piper, we're going to need your help. Which means you'll need to decide quickly." The Avatars left and time resumed.

"What happened? Huh? What did you do?" Kyle yelled.

"Kyle, wait. Listen to me." Buffy said.

"No, you don't understand! That was the last potion. You have no idea what you just did." Upset, Kyle stormed out of the house.

"Ok, so you see why I'm having a little problem with the faith thing, right?" Piper asked. "Paige!"

Paige orbed in, a bag of groceries in her arms. "What? What's going on?"

"Oh, you know, nothing. Your boyfriend tried to kill my husband."

"What?"

"Kyle tried to kill Leo." Buffy said.

Paige carried the bag of groceries into the dining room where she put it down on the table. "I don't know what happened. I told Kyle you were an Avatar at breakfast. He seemed ok with it."

"Yeah, well, you should've warned us you were gonna tell him." Piper said.

"I would have, if I would've known what he was gonna do, not that I can blame him."

"Excuse me?" Leo asked.

"I mean, not the whole killing you thing, obviously, but…. His parents were killed by the Avatars."

"The Avatars weren't responsible for that."

"How do you know? Were you there, Leo?"

"No, I wasn't, but now that I'm an Avatar, I can tell you they wouldn't do that because it goes against everything they believe in."

"Well, Kyle thinks otherwise, and he happened to be there."

"Paige, in all fairness, he was only five years old." Buffy said. "I mean, who knows what really happened?"

"Why don't you try to convince him of that?"

Phoebe walked in. "Talking about Kyle, I assume? I just called him looking for you. He gave me an earful. You ok?"

"Yeah." Leo said.

"It's a good thing Kyle is out of potions." Piper said.

"Still doesn't solve his problem. And until somebody does, I would assume that you're not gonna go along with the Avatars, right?" Phoebe asked Paige.

"What do you have up your sleeve?" Paige asked.

"Well, I was just thinking, remember how Leo sent you back to find out what really happened to your parents?"

"Yeah."

"Well, maybe we could do the same thing for Kyle and help him move on."

"Ok, but what if Kyle sees that they really did kill his parents?"

"Well, if that's the case, then we'll kill the Avatars and help him move on that way." Buffy said.

"The sooner we help Kyle find out the truth, the sooner we can all move on." Phoebe said.

"Move on to what?" Piper asked.

"The future the Avatars promised us, the one we saw in our vision."

"Ok, but, Phoebe, we all didn't see that."

"Yes, but you could…. if you and I swap powers."

"What?"

"It would just be for a little while, just long enough for you to see the vision for yourself. I promise you, it's beautiful."

"Ok, look, if the Avatars are exonerated and I see what Phoebe and Buffy saw, then we'll talk about it."

Phoebe turned and looked at Paige. Paige rolled her eyes and reluctantly gave in. "Fine. I'll talk, too."

"Nice work, Phoebs." Buffy said.

"Thanks." Phoebe said with a grin.

Phoebe was flipping through the Book of Shadows while Piper paced the attic. Buffy and Angel sat on the couch talking quietly. "I know the power-switching spell is in here somewhere. We've used it before." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, and if I remember correctly, didn't it bite us in the ass?" Piper asked. Phoebe slammed her fists down on the Book and glared at Piper. "I'm just sayin'."

"Piper, you've got to chill out and trust this." Buffy said. "I promise you, it's worth it."

Leo orbed into the attic. "All right, as long as Kyle's willing, the Avatars said they would send him back to the past."

"They've got the easy part." Phoebe said. "They should try dealing with a stubborn sister in the present."

"So, I'm having second thoughts. Sue me." Piper said.

"We're telling you, it's well worth the risk for you to see what we saw." Buffy said. "Imagine a future with no demons, a future where we're all free, where our kids get to grow up happy and have normal lives. I mean, it's what we've always dreamed of. Piper, it's what you've always dreamed of."

"And you two got all of that from one vision?"

"Actually, yeah, we did." Phoebe said.

Leo smiled at Phoebe and Buffy. "What are you smiling at?" Piper asked.

"Nothing." Leo said.

Paige and Kyle walked into the attic. "Ok! We're ready." Paige said.

"Good. I'm glad." Phoebe said. "And you will be, too."

"We'll see." Kyle said.

Leo stepped forward. "All right, well, let me explain how this is gonna work."

"Hold it. He's doin' this?"

"Uh, yeah. Is there a problem?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. How do I know he and the other Avatars aren't gonna change the past, make it look like they want it to?"

"We can't change your past, nor would we want to." Leo said. "Besides, you'll know if it's been messed with, it's your past."

"And I get the word of an Avatar on this? No way."

"Kyle…. please, we have to do this." Paige said. "It's the only way we're ever gonna find out the truth, right?"

Kyle sighed. "All right. What do I do?"

"Close your eyes." Leo said. "Concentrate on the day. See it."

"How do we get back?" Paige asked.

"You'll get back when he finds the truth."

"Of course."

Leo raised his hands and motioned past Kyle and Paige. They both turned around in time to see a bright, swirling vortex open in front of them. Kyle held on to Paige's hand and together, they were pulled into the bright, swirling vortex.

"Now what?" Piper asked.

"Now we work on you." Phoebe said, going back to flipping through the Book of Shadows.

Piper sighed and looked at Buffy. "I forgot to tell you that aunt Joyce called. She said your dress is ready."

"Really?" Buffy asked. "Why are you just now telling me this?"

"We've been busy."

"True. Does she want me to pick it up?"

"Yeah. Want me to come with you?"

"Please?"

"Ok."

"Found it!" Phoebe cried. "You ready?"

"Uh, what if Zankou shows up? What are we gonna do then?"

"Well, then I blow him up. I mean, we're still gonna have our powers, just in different bodies."

"What if that doesn't work? What if we need Paige, too?"

"Why are you procrastinating? What are you afraid of?"

"Honestly? A lot of things, actually. I mean, even if this works, we're still talking about remaking the world as we know it, and, frankly, that makes me a little nervous."

"I promise you, you will not be nervous once you see what we saw. Trust me."

Piper sighed and recited the spell with Phoebe. "What's mine is yours, what's yours is mine, I offer up my gift to share. Switch our powers through the air." Their powers, in the form of white orb lights, rose up out of them and floated above their heads.

Suddenly, Zankou flamed into the attic. The power orb lights above Piper and Phoebe's heads switched places. Piper and Phoebe both turned and looked at Zankou. He raised his hands and powered up two energy balls, one in each palm. Buffy and Angel grabbed Piper and Phoebe and pulled them behind the nearest couch. Zankou hurled the energy balls at the power orb lights still hovering in the air. The energy balls hit the power orbs sending them out of the attic through the windows.

"So where's the third one?" Zankou asked.

"Uh, you know what? We're not really sure, so why don't you just come back later, ok?" Phoebe said.

"Nah." Zankou continued through the attic. He powered up another energy ball just as Leo orbed into the attic behind him. He quickly zapped Zankou with a stream of electricity. Zankou smashed into an attic table near the girls and Angel. Zankou looked at them, then glanced back at Leo before flaming out of the attic.

"What happened? Why didn't you fire back?" Leo asked.

"Go ahead. Tell him." Piper snapped.

"We sort of lost our powers." Phoebe said. "Sorry."

"Well, they went out the window." Angel said.

"Try calling them back." Buffy suggested.

Phoebe nodded and went to the Book. She tried summoning her powers, but nothing happened. Piper tried too, but again, nothing happened. She turned and headed out the door.

"Piper, where are you going?" Leo called as he, Angel, Buffy, and Phoebe followed.

Piper reached the main hall and headed for the front door. "Well, like Angel said, the powers went out the window, didn't they?"

"So you expect to find them laying around on the front lawn?" Angel asked.

"Don't get smart with me, mister. This was not my idea."

"I said I was sorry." Phoebe said. "I was just trying to get you to see what I saw."

"Yes, and now I can see that we are going to die, and I don't need your powers for that."

"Maybe you should try scrying for them." Buffy said.

"Why would that work?"

"Because they're alive. They still exist somewhere."

"Somewhere? Somewhere, where? Like in people?" Buffy asked.

"Two very surprised people."

"Uh, we gotta get Paige back here before Zankou attacks again." Piper said.

"We can't. They can only return after they find out who killed Kyle's parents."

"How did he know to attack us?" Phoebe asked. "I mean, right when we were about to switch powers?"

"He must have known somehow. He must have sensed you were vulnerable."

"Now I know why The Source locked him up."

"You need to take the kids to Magic School right away." Piper said.

"No way? What, and leave you without powers?" Leo asked.

"She's right. You have to." Buffy said. "There's no other option. Angel and I are here. We'll call you if we need you, but you've gotta get them out of here." Leo sighed and orbed out.

"And we need to find our powers." Piper said.

Outside, they heard a loud explosion. Piper turned around and opened the front door as Angel dodged out of the way. The sounds were coming from the house across the street. Lights flashed and more explosions sounded inside the house.

Buffy heard a woman inside screaming. "I think we just found Piper's." She said.

"I'm going to find my powers." Phoebe turned and headed upstairs.


	82. Chapter 82

Chapter 82

Denise looked absolutely stunned. "Demons?" She took a step back away from Piper and Buffy and nearly bumped into Angel. "What do you mean, demons? You mean they actually exist?"

"Yes, Denise, they do, so I need my pow…." Piper took a step forward.

"Stay away from me!" Freaked out, Denise held up her hands. The blast went past Piper and hit the table in the back of the attic. "Why does that keep happening?"

"It won't if you just calm down a little and let me help you."

"Wait. You guys fight demons here all the time, don't you?"

"Pretty much. Why?" Buffy asked.

"See, I always thought that you just threw a bunch of wild parties. You know, things breaking, people screaming. I had no idea."

"Yeah. Well, at least now you know why we never invited you."

Phoebe walked into the attic with a man. "Found my…." Denise was startled and accidentally froze them.

Piper walked over to Denise. "See, that's that other little power I was telling you about." She went behind Denise and helped her unfreeze Phoebe and the man. "Ok, so small gesture here. Small, nothing too hard. Don't want to blow up the sister, ok?" Piper guided Denise's hands as she gestured and time resumed.

"….power." Phoebe finished. She looked at Angel. "Frozen?"

"Yeah." Angel said.

Phoebe looked at Denise. "Hi, I'm Phoebe. And you're…."

"Really scared." Denise said.

"Yeah, really don't startle her." Buffy said.

"Uh, hey, ladies, what do you say we cut the chit-chat and just fix this, huh?" The man asked.

Eager to get her powers back, Phoebe headed over to the Book of Shadows. "You got it, Ronnie. Let's do it."

"Wait. What exactly are you gonna do?" Denise asked.

"Oh, just a little spell. You're gonna say it, we're gonna say it, and then everything should be back to normal."

"And then you can go home and never tell anyone ever, ever, ever about this." Piper said. "Ok? Sounds good, huh?"

Phoebe found the spell and motioned to Ronnie and Denise. "Gather round."

"Hold on." Ronnie said. "Wait, wait, wait. What if, say, you wanted to use your powers for something besides fighting demons? Like, uh, winning the lottery?"

"No, my premonitions are much bigger than that."

"What's bigger than winning the lottery?"

"Yeah, how about getting back at people who were really mean to you?" Denise asked. "Ever do that?"

"No, no." Piper said. "Cause that's under the category of personal gain, and with the risk of exposure, those are really, really bad things in the witch world."

"Time's a-wastin'." Phoebe said.

"No, no, no. I'm talking really mean." Denise argued. "Like, say, an ex-husband who clears out your savings account, runs off with his secretary, and leaves you mortgaged to the hilt?"

"Yeah, see?" Ronnie said. "You guys could get rich and get revenge on whoever you wanted."

"No, we couldn't." Phoebe said.

"I don't believe you." Denise said.

"Yeah, me, neither." Ronnie looked at Denise. "What do you say we go and get rich?"

"Ok, but only if we can blow up my ex-husband afterwards."

"Sure."

"No, no, no, cause that would be personal gain and exposure, not to mention murder." Phoebe said. Ronnie and Denise both ignored Phoebe. They turned and headed out of the attic.

"Hey! You can't leave." Piper called.

Buffy rolled her eyes and waved her hand, shutting the attic door with Prue's powers. Denise turned around. "Who did that?"

"I did." Buffy said. "They're not the only ones with powers in this house."

"Thank you." Piper said.

"Now, I suggest you two turn your butts back around and say this spell." Buffy motioned towards the two of them and they were pulled forward towards the Book.

Denise panicked and froze everyone in the room except Buffy and Ronnie. "Why didn't you freeze?"

"Again, cause I have powers too. Now, please, unfreeze my cousins and my fiancé so we can get this fixed."

"No." Denise flung her hands at Buffy and Buffy was blasted backwards into the far wall, knocked unconscious.

Leo orbed into the attic later that evening and found Angel, Phoebe, and Piper still frozen in mid-stride and Buffy unconscious and bleeding on the attic floor. "Buffy!" He decided to help her first since she was hurt. Leo held his hands over her wound and let his healing powers work. She gasped and sat up. "What happened?" He asked as he walked over to the other three who were frozen. He waved his hand and they unfroze. Phoebe and Piper headed forward and stopped. They turned around when they realized that both Ronnie and Denise weren't there.

"Where'd they go?" Phoebe asked.

"They left." Buffy said, standing up.

"Why didn't you stop them?" Piper asked.

"Kinda hard when you've been blasted across the room and knocked out."

"Oh." Piper looked at Leo. "Hi."

"Where'd who go?" Leo asked.

"The people with Phoebe and Piper's powers." Angel said.

"They froze us again." Phoebe said.

"And apparently took off with our powers." Piper said.

"Didn't you explain the risk to them?" Leo asked. "Demons, personal gain?"

"Yeah, the demons they were afraid of." Buffy said. "Personal gain, not so much."

"Well, you need to find them."

Piper waved away his oh-so helpful suggestions with a swish of her hand and headed for the scrying table with Phoebe. "Yeah. Thanks."

Phoebe was trying to scry for them again. "Although, without our powers, I don't know how we're gonna convince them to give them back."

"Well, we'll jump off that bridge when we get to it." Piper turned around and saw Leo with _that look_ on his face. "The Elders?"

"Yeah. I don't know what they want." Leo said.

"Do you think it's about Zankou?" Buffy asked.

"Could be, or the Avatars. I'll be right back." Leo orbed out of the attic as the scrying crystal hit the map.

"Well, that's weird." Phoebe said. "That's never happened before."

"Wait." Piper reached out, flipped the map over, and opened the map. Phoebe held the crystal over the map and it fell on a particular spot.

"Lake Tahoe?" Buffy asked.

"They're gambling." Angel said.

Ronnie tossed the chips over to the dealer. "Yo, stick man, give me the horn."

"You got it." The dealer said. Ronnie made the roll and the dealer called it. "Eight the hard way, a hard eight! And we got a shooter!"

"All right, that was your last roll, Diamond Jim." Buffy said. Denise and Ronnie turned to find Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe standing right next to them.

"What are you doing here?" Denise asked.

"Come on, let's go. Fun is over." Poper said.

"The fun's just getting started, unless you want my friend Denise here to put the whammy on you again." Ronnie said.

"She wouldn't dare. Not in front of all these people." Phoebe said.

"Want to try me?" Denise asked.

"Oh, sure. Now she's fearless." Piper said.

"Ok, I'll make you a deal." Phoebe said. "You try to get one more premonition, then afterwards, if you don't want to come with us, you can have our powers."

"Uh, Phoebe…." Angel started.

"I know what I'm doing. What do you say?"

"Will it win me a bunch more money?" Ronnie asked.

"Not a cent, but I guarantee you what you see will offer you more than this casino."

Ronnie thought about it for a moment. "Ok, fine."

"Come on." Phoebe pushed Ronnie towards a back room with the others, including Denise, following behind her. "Ok, I need you to close your eyes and clear your head."

"Wait, what are you going to do?" Piper asked, closing the door behind them.

"I'm gonna try to get him to see what I've been trying to get you to see."

"How the hell you gonna do that with no powers?"

"I think I'll need Buffy for this too." Phoebe held out her hand and Buffy took it. "Ok," She turned to Ronnie. "Give us your hands. We're gonna walk you through this, ok?" Rolling his eyes, Ronnie put his hands in Phoebe's and Buffy's. Immediately, a white glow of power appeared at their connection. "Close your eyes and picture an elementary school." Ronnie closed his eyes. "Outside, lots of happy kids. Can you see it?"

"Aunt Phoebe?" Ronnie asked.

"Yeah, that's it. Stay with it. There's Wyatt and Chris and Alex and little Connor and the little girl…." Ronnie gasped.

"What's he seeing?" Denise asked.

"Believe me, I wish I knew." Piper said.

Ronnie slowly opened his eyes. He was very quiet and contemplative as he looked between Buffy and Phoebe. "Is that real?"

"It can be…. if we get our powers back." Phoebe said. Ronnie smiled and nodded.

Buffy, Piper, Denise, Phoebe, and Ronnie walked into the Manor and headed for the stairs. Angel came running in underneath a blanket that was smoking slightly since it was daylight out now.

"I'll get the spell." Phoebe said.

The door closed behind them and Zankou stepped out from the sitting room. "I wouldn't bother with that if I were you."

"Leo!" Piper called.

"I wouldn't bother with him, either. Something tells me he's not coming to your rescue this time."

Zankou powered up an energy ball and hurled it straight for the group. They quickly turned and hit the floor to avoid the oncoming energy ball. "We're gonna die!" Denise cried.

"No, no, no. You're gonna be fine. Just remember what I told you." Piper said.

Zankou powered up another energy ball and hurled it at Buffy. She waved a hand and sent the energy ball towards the stairs. The banister railing exploded in a shower of wood pieces. Piper quickly got up and ran up the stairs. Denise made a dash for the living room clear across the hall right in front of Zankou.

Zankou saw Denise, powered up another energy ball, and hurled it at her. Buffy waved her hand and the energy ball hit the table instead. Phoebe and Ronnie were huddled behind the dining room wall listening to Denise and the explosions in the hallway. Another energy ball came at Buffy and Angel tackled her out of the way. The energy ball hit the wall just over Phoebe's head.

Zankou advanced forward, another energy ball powered up in the palm of his hand. He walked up level to the stairs. Piper was huddled just at the turn in the stairs. She gasped and Zankou turned. Just as he was ready to throw the energy ball, he got hit in the back with a powerful blast that threw him up face-forward against the wall.

Piper glanced around the stair banister and saw Denise with her hands up. "Nice job."

"Did I kill him?" Denise asked.

Piper stood up and glanced down at Zankou on the ground. "Um, not quite, but we'll take what we can get. Leo!"

Zankou started to regain consciousness. "Leo's still alive. Looks like the Avatars are more powerful than I thought. Which means, we're all in trouble." He flamed out just as Leo orbed in.

He looked like a huge a mess. "You guys all right?" Leo asked, helping Buffy and Angel to their feet.

Phoebe and Ronnie stepped out from the dining room. "Yeah, thanks to these two." Phoebe said.

"You, on the other hand…." Buffy said, looking at Leo's haggard appearance.

"I'll be fine." Leo said.

"Uh, what happened to you?" Piper asked. "I thought you went to see the Elders."

"I did. We need to talk."

"Ok, we can talk after Phoebe and I get our powers fixed."

Piper aimed and the lamp on the table shattered. "Hey!" Buffy cried. "Do you mind?" She was sweeping up the broken pieces of wood from the floor.

"Sorry, just checking." Piper said.

"It's ok." Buffy sighed.

"I never liked that lamp really anyway." Phoebe said, making her way into the room with her own broom.

"I don't know how much good having our powers back is gonna do anyway." Piper said. "They didn't seem to faze Zankou."

"Zankou." Buffy looked at Angel. "How do they come up with these names?"

"After all these years, you're gonna ask now?" Angel asked.

"Well, at least Denise and Ronnie get to go back to their normal lives." Piper said.

"Did Leo use the memory dust on them?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, although it's kind of a shame, considering everything they went through. I mean, Ronnie got to see a better future."

"Yeah. It's too bad you didn't get to see the future that Ronnie saw."

"I don't think I need to. I mean, I saw how just one glimpse changed that man forever. And the fact that the Avatars aren't killers helps a little bit. That's enough for me."

"Really?" Phoebe and Buffy asked.

"Yeah. Hell, it's worth a shot. It's got to be better than cleaning up after demons all the time."

"I agree." Paige said, walking down the stairs toward them. "I've been thinking about it, and, um, I'm ready to try, too, because I'm tired of all of…. This." She motioned to the mess around them.

"How's Kyle doing?" Buffy asked.

"He's pretty devastated, you know? But I think eventually he'll be ok. I mean, you have to be. It's Utopia, right?"

"That's a lot of rage to hang on to." Angel said. "You should at least keep an eye on him."

"Oh, I planned on it."

"Good." Piper said. "That's the last thing we need is a sideswipe from your boyfriend."


	83. Chapter 83

Chapter 83

Buffy waved her hand and sent the last demon to impale itself on Angel's sword. "Nice work." Angel said.

"Thanks." Buffy said just as Phoebe, Piper, and Leo orbed in.

Phoebe looked around at all the dead demons. "You guys killed all of these in the short time we were gone?"

"Yeah." Buffy and Angel said.

"You guys are a mess." Buffy said.

"Grimlock eggs." Leo said.

"Oh, yeah. Yuck." Angel said.

"Let's head back to Magic School." Piper said. "I need to get this crap off me." Leo nodded and orbed them to the Great Hall.

Piper grabbed towels sitting on the table as Phoebe called, "Hello? Anybody home?"

Paige stepped out of the study and headed for the Great Hall. "Yeah? It's about time." Alpha was right behind her.

"We weren't gone that long. Besides, we must have vanquished, what, like six or seven upper level demons?"

"Speak for yourself." Buffy said. "Angel and I got twelve between us."

"Good work." Alpha said.

"Uh, this is disgusting!" Piper groaned.

"Doesn't matter, 'cause after tomorrow, we won't have to do this anymore. We're done." Phoebe said.

"We still have to find Zankou first." Alpha said.

"What if we can't?" Leo asked.

"Then we, unlike the rest of the world, will not be taking a catnap." Paige said.

"Catnap? What do you mean?" Angel asked.

"A little something they neglected to tell us."

"It's just the mechanics of how the spell works, to put people to sleep so that the transformation can occur." Alpha said.

"Well, I, for one, am damn well not going to be taking a nap." Paige said.

"Paige, what's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"I want to make sure we've really thought this out."

"Well, we've had this conversation about a dozen times." Piper said.

"She's right." Angel said. "There's only so much we can know and the rest is a leap of faith."

"One I thought we were all ready for."

"If it helps, Paige, we never intended that you or your sisters would join the others until much later." Alpha said.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Because there'll still be straggler demons, the ones that live and walk among us." Leo explained.

"Ones you'll nevertheless need to vanquish though, so that conflict doesn't seep back in." Gamma said.

"So we still have to fight demons?" Buffy asked.

"They will be easier to spot while the others are asleep because they won't be."

"But it shouldn't take long and then it will be up to you to decide when you're ready to make the change." Alpha said.

"You ok with that?" Phoebe asked Paige.

Paige sighed. "Yeah. Yeah. I guess so." She walked away.

"What about Zankou?" Angel asked.

"I think I know how to find him." Buffy said. "Will you help me, Piper?"

"Of course." Piper said, following Buffy toward the study.

Phoebe hooked her hand around Leo's arm. "Will you give me a lift? I want to make sure I get my last column in."

"'Last column'?" Paige asked.

"Well, yeah. How much advice can a world with no conflict need? I may be out of a job."

"You ok with that?"

"I've got better things to look forward to." Leo and Phoebe orbed out.

Buffy was standing in front of the Book of Shadows, a notebook and pen in her hand. Piper stood at her side watching everything. Angel stood in front of the Book watching the two women. A distance behind Buffy and Piper, Paige was reclining on the chair staring out of the attic window.

"We used it to find The Source, it might work on Zankou, considering they were working so closely." Buffy said.

"Paige? Are you listening?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, that sounds great." Paige said.

"Well, it would if you were listening to us." Buffy said.

Paige stood up and headed over to them. "Sorry. It's just a big change."

"I know, and you know what?" Piper said. "It's ok to be scared. I'm a little antsy, Phoebe's nostalgic, Buffy's ready to go, Angel's cautious, and you're scared. That's how we do things."

"No, I'm not scared. Fine, maybe a little."

"Ok, why?" Buffy asked.

"Well, because Kyle still thinks the Avatars are a threat…. And he's asking some pretty damn good questions."

"And you trust him, so you trust those questions." Angel said.

"Exactly."

"Ok, I admit it." Buffy said. "I have asked myself those same questions about a hundred times, but we have the answers now. We're not going in blind."

"What are we going into?"

"Apparently, what we've always wanted for the past seven years…. In Buffy's case ten years and in Angel's case…. A really, really long time." Piper said. "We've been saving the world, being told that it's our destiny. Maybe this is part of our destiny."

"Bringing in Utopia?"

"Putting an end to all this Good vs. Evil crap."

"I, for one, am tired of sleeping with one eye open wondering which demon is gonna finally get me or my daughter." Buffy said.

"I've wondered the same thing." Paige said.

"Well, you shouldn't have to and neither should Phoebe or Piper or any of us."

"It's just Kyle. He has good evidence, and his hunches, they've been right so far."

"Ok, but all of these hunches are based on a myopic point of view." Angel said. "He's been trying to get even with these people his entire life. The fact that they're innocent is besides the point as far as he's concerned."

"I know."

"We deserve this opportunity, Paige." Buffy said. "We've earned it. Now let's go find Zankou." She moved around the Book and headed for the attic door.

Kyle was sitting on the sofa while Leo healed his shoulder injury. Buffy, Piper, Paige, and Angel had found him in Zankou's cave after killing all of Zankou's demons buddies.

"What's taking so long?" Paige asked.

"He's resisting." Leo said.

"Can you blame me?" Kyle retorted.

"He's not the one we just found in a demon cave." Buffy said.

"You think I wanted to be there?"

"I think you want to stop the Avatars and Zankou wants to stop the Avatars." Angel said.

"So you see the connection there?" Buffy asked.

"Guys, you can't be serious." Paige said.

"I'm with them." Piper said. "I'd like to know."

"He kidnapped me." Kyle said.

"Why?" Leo asked.

"Because he thinks I can help kill you, that's why."

"Don't you mean kill an Avatar?" Piper asked.

"Same difference."

"Ok, what I don't understand is why he would think that you still had a potion?" Paige said, walking over to him and sitting next to him on the sofa.

"I don't know. You should ask him."

"All right, I will."

"Zankou's not gonna still be there. He's on the run." Buffy said.

"So? We found him once before. I can do it again. I'm not just gonna sit around and wait for him to attack Kyle."

"You want to protect him?" Leo asked. "Help the Avatars bring in Utopia so Zankou can't stop it."

"He's right, you know." Piper said.

"You don't have to do that. Just use me as bait. Wait till he attacks again." Kyle said.

"No, what if we're too late next time?" Paige asked.

Kyle stood up. "Well, so you are? You don't have to change the whole world just to save me."

"Don't we? Look, every demon that tries to stop this makes me just want to get through it faster. Let's just do this."

"Paige, look, I don't…."

"No. My mind is made up. Besides, I think it's for the best."

"Tell them we're ready." Piper said to Leo. He orbed out. "I'll go see where Phoebe is."

"We'll come with." Buffy said, taking Angel's hand and following Piper.

Paige was back in her study at Magic School standing in front of the book shelf rearranging the many, many books. She was putting them back on the shelf when Piper walked in. "Uh, hello? What're you doing?"

"Oh, you know, just trying to organize some books, just in case." Paige said.

"Now? Everybody's waiting for you."

"Well, yeah, but I might not have a chance to do this afterwards."

"Uh, to do what?"

"Well, these are books on demons. We might not need them if there are no demons." Paige winked at Piper, amused by her own cleverness. "Oh, what if they come back? Then we'll have to have them again. I better put them all back." Paige put the book that she was carrying down on the table and started removing the books from the shelf again.

"Uh, sweetie, you don't really seem like yourself."

"I don't? Who am I?"

"No, I mean you're stalling. And you know what? It's ok. We know what we're doing. We're ready for this."

"You sure? What if something goes wrong?"

"Well, then we'll fix it like we always do. Come on." Piper reached out and grabbed Paige's arm. A shock of electricity passed from Paige's arm to Piper's hand. "What was that?"

"What was what?"

"That!"

"Well, I don't know. Why don't you tell me?"

"Come on, everybody's waiting."

"Yeah, everybody."

Piper and Paige walked into the Great Hall. Buffy and Phoebe walked over to them and they all headed over to Leo and Angel. Alpha and Gamma were both at the back of the room. "Hey, we was just looking for you guys." Phoebe said.

"Why? What's wrong?" Piper asked.

"Nothing's wrong, we just wanted to know what happened." Buffy said.

"Well, nothing happened." Paige said. "I think that's the problem, though."

"What? Are you feeling ok?" Phoebe reached out to feel Paige's forehead and a shock of electricity passed from Paige's forehead to Phoebe's hand. "Ow! What was that?"

Paige looked at Piper. "See?"

Paranoid, Piper turned around and glanced behind her. "See what?"

"Uh, guys? Do you mind?" Leo asked, motioning them over.

"Are you ready?" Alpha asked.

"Yeah, I think so." Phoebe said.

"Is there something that we should know, that we don't know? You know?"

"Uh, no, Paige." Alpha said.

"Wait, we forgot about Zankou! What if he attacks?" Piper asked.

"That's true. What if he does attack?" Phoebe said.

"O-o-oh, maybe we shouldn't do this." Paige said.

"What is wrong with you guys?" Buffy asked. "We discussed this."

"You'll still have your powers afterwards." Gamma said. "If Zankou attacks, you'll be prepared."

"In fact, he'll be more exposed than ever." Alpha said. "Especially as you continue to thin out the demonic ranks."

"How do we know you're not lying to us?" Phoebe asked.

"Ok, let's…. do this." Buffy said, looking at Leo and the Avatars.

"Very well." Alpha motioned with his hand. Beta appeared in the Great hall.

"Whoa! Where'd you come from?" Piper cried.

"They're a little nervous." Leo explained.

"I understand." Beta held out a metal ring. "Place your hands on the cartouche. It's ok."

Piper, Phoebe and Paige grabbed hold of the cartouche and Beta took a step back. With the Charmed Ones in the center and the Avatars around them, they closed their eyes and concentrated. Buffy and Angel stood behind the group and watched as the center of the cartouche glowed a bright, white light of power. The power went straight up and spread out. Angel gasped when the light touched him and he fell to his knees.

"Angel!" Buffy dropped down next to him and held him as he writhed.

"Ah! Buffy…. It hurts." Angel clawed at his chest.

It wasn't until the bright light retreated back into the cartouche that Angel's pain started to subside. The Charmed Ones and The Avatars opened their eyes. "It has begun." Alpha said.

"What happened to him!" Buffy snapped. "What's wrong with Angel?"

Beta moved over and touched Angel's forehead, covering his eyes. "Angelus is no more."

"Was this supposed to happen?"

"I believe it was his close proximity to the spell and his…. Unique nature that caused this." Alpha said. "He is the embodiment of all that we have done. Eradicating evil and bringing out the good."

"Are you sure?" Phoebe asked. "Maybe he's sick."

"No." Angel sat up, his hand to his chest. "I feel…. Great."

"Are you alive?" Piper asked.

"No. I'm still a vampire, but…. There's no demon inside me. How is that possible?"

"With this new world, all things are possible." Gamma said.

"Come." Alpha said. "See for yourselves."


	84. Chapter 84

Chapter 84

Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, Piper, Paige, Leo, and Beta walked down the street. All around them, everything had come to a standstill. They walked among cars stopped in the middle of the street along with the various people asleep on the roadway. "I mean, is everybody ok?" Phoebe asked. "You sure nobody's hurt?"

"The effect was gradual." Beta said. "They all fell asleep gently and safely."

"How do you know that for sure?" Piper asked.

"Do you see anybody who's been harmed in any way?"

"Well, that doesn't rule out internal injuries."

"Piper." Leo said.

"What?"

"So everybody's like this everywhere, all around the world?" Buffy asked.

"All around the world." Beta confirmed.

Phoebe turned and looked at Beta. "What about the airplanes and the helicopters? How do we know they landed safely?"

"Look, I'm sure the Avatars took care of all that." Leo said. "Relax."

"What's gotten into you guys?" Angel asked.

"Well, I think we have a little right to be jumpy with everything that's going on, don't you think?" Phoebe asked.

"Perhaps it would help to focus on the straggler demons." Beta said. "They hide amongst your kind, which means if there are any nearby, they're only pretending to be asleep."

Phoebe dug into her bag and took out a potions bottle. "I should've known."

"Why don't they just leave?" Piper asked.

"Because they've got no place else left to go." Beta said.

"Over there." Buffy said. "He moved."

Piper looked all around her. "Well, where? Which one?"

"The one in the bad suit."

Phoebe pulled her arm back to throw the potion, but Beta grabbed her arm and stopped her. "You must be certain."

"Ok. Go be certain." Phoebe said.

Paige rushed over to the man in the bad suit lying on the street. She tapped him on the shoulder, but he didn't move. Paige headed back to the group which was when the man in the bad suit scrambled to his feet.

"Paige, look out!" Leo called.

The demon powered up a fireball and hurled it at Paige. Luckily, Paige tripped and the fireball hit a nearby building instead. Piper motioned with her hands and blasted the demon. Paige rushed back to them and sighed. "Well, at least I know I'm not paranoid." She said.

"All right, so how long until the transformation's complete?" Leo asked.

"Two hours, which means we should get back until it's safe." Beta said.

"Well, I'm not leaving them here alone." Beta gave Leo a worried look. "Don't worry, Beta. I'll be fine." Beta left. "All right, let's split up. We'll find more demons that way. Piper, Angel, and Paige, then Buffy, Phoebe, and me. Any sign of trouble, orb back to the Manor. Got it?"

"Got it." Paige said.

Leo, Buffy, and Phoebe turned and headed down the street. They walked along the front of the movie theater looking for demons. All around them were the bodies of the people sleeping on the sidewalk. Buffy looked over at her cousin and touched her arm. "Phoebs, are you sure you're all right?"

"Yeah." Phoebe said. "I'm fine. I just…. I have a bad feeling about this."

"Well, you've had a bad feeling about everything lately."

"Yeah, but I have a really bad feeling about this. Are you sure we're not being set up?"

"Phoebe, not this again." Leo groaned.

"No. I'm serious! What if the Avatars are like the Trojan Horse? Remember the Trojan Horse?"

"Phoebe…."

"They come into your lives pretending to be the gift, but what they really wanna do is kill you."

"Phoebe, this really isn't like you."

"Leo, listen to me, ok? It's the ultimate conspiracy. Think about it for…." Phoebe stopped and whirled around when she heard someone exhale. "What was that?"

"It was nothing."

"You need to calm down." Buffy said soothingly.

"I'm very calm, ok?" Phoebe said. "I just can't help what I'm feeling, and what I'm feeling right now is…." She turned and squealed. "Demons!" Phoebe ran as a man and a woman stood up. They both powered up energy balls and hurled them at Leo. Buffy waved her hand and diverted the energy balls towards a building. Leo blasted one of the demons, but they shimmered out. Phoebe had hidden herself under a nearby counter. Once everything was in the clear, she stepped out to join Leo and Buffy.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry again." Phoebe said.

"Why did you run?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know."

"Something's wrong, Leo."

"I'm getting us out of here." Leo said, orbing them out.

"I don't get it." Phoebe said once they were safely in the attic at home. "I don't know what happened. I mean, one minute I feel like everyone's after me, and the next minute, I feel perfectly fine." She sat down on the sofa next to Buffy.

"Yeah? I don't." Leo said.

"What's the matter?" Buffy asked. "What are you feeling?"

"I don't know. All of a sudden, I just feel weaker."

Buffy stood up. "Maybe you should sit…." A golden glow washed over Buffy and then Phoebe. "Down." Buffy fell asleep on her feet and she collapsed backward onto the sofa behind her where Phoebe, who was also now asleep, fell over onto Buffy.

"Buffy! Phoebe?" Leo stepped forward to check on them. He tried to wake her up, but found that he couldn't. "Phoebe. Buffy, can you hear me? Wake up. Piper." Leo orbed into the alleyway where he'd sensed Piper. "Piper." He saw her on the ground next to Angel. "Piper!" He rushed over to her and knelt down to check on her. "Piper. Angel?"

Alpha and Gamma appeared in the alley. "They're just sleeping, Leo." Alpha said. "They'll be fine. They'll all be fine."

"What have you done to them?"

"The same thing that's been done to everyone else."

"But they weren't supposed to turn yet, not until they were ready."

"We had no choice." Gamma said.

"What do you mean you didn't have a choice?" Leo asked. "You can't do this."

"Beta's dead, Leo."

"What?"

"It's why you feel less powerful." Alpha said. "Why we all do."

"But how did…."

"It seems that Agent Brody had another potion after all. One that both he and Zankou hoped to bring down Utopia with before it even began."

"But we can't let that happen." Gamma said. "The sooner we complete the transformation, the less chance he has of succeeding."

"Which is why we need the power of The Charmed Ones with us, now more than ever. I'm sure you understand."

"But we were supposed to talk to them first."

"Ideally, yes. But Paige…. was inconsolable. Agent Brody is dead as well. We must press on, Leo, now…. or Zankou will win. All that we've done will have been for naught. We can still give them the world they've always wanted, Leo. The happiness they've never known. The happiness you've never known. But we must move quickly. And as one." Alpha looked at Gamma and he nodded in agreement.

"I just…. I don't see how Paige is gonna be happy after what happened."

"She'll understand." Gamma said.

"Everyone will understand that those who bring conflict into the world cannot be tolerated." Alpha said.

Buffy and Phoebe woke up with smiles on their faces. "Hi sweetie!" Phoebe said.

"Phoebe, you look great." Buffy beamed.

"I feel great. Do you feel great?"

"I feel amazing. We should go find Angel."

"And Piper and Paige."

"And Leo!"

They rushed down the stairs to find Piper, Angel, and Leo in the foyer. "Hey!" Phoebe cried. "I feel great. Don't you guys feel great?"

"Yeah. Pretty amazing." Piper said.

"Angel!" Buffy was lifted into her fiancé's arms.

"How do you feel, baby?" Angel asked, kissing her.

"It's so weird." Buffy said. "I remember the old way, you know, the demon battling and everything, but I'm just not stressed about it anymore."

"Yeah, well, that's because we don't have to worry about demons anymore, which leaves us a little time to…. live a little." Piper said. "Where are the boys and Alex?"

"Magic school." Leo said. "Are you sure you're ok with this?"

"Leo, of course. Are you kidding? How could we not be?" Phoebe asked.

Paige orbed into the dining room. "Hi."

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so sorry." Piper said.

"Me, too." Buffy said.

Piper and Phoebe headed over to Paige. "How're you doing? You hanging in there?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah. Yeah." Paige said. "I'm holding up. It's, um…. pretty damn sad…. but he's going on to a better place, right? I'm gonna go upstairs and rest." Paige headed upstairs and Phoebe and Piper followed.

Buffy smiled up at Angel. "Let's go get the kids. I want to see my daughter."

Piper and Phoebe were both mixing something in the bowls they carried through the kitchen. Buffy was sitting at the table stirring the sugar into the sweet tea and Angel was making Kool Aid for the kids on the other side of the table. Phoebe and Piper walked around the kitchen island in a counter-clockwise direction, each on the opposite end of the island mirroring the other's movement. They were in perfect sync with each other, fluid and harmonious just like Angel and Buffy were at the table.

"It's ready." Phoebe said.

"So's this." Piper said.

"So are the drinks." Buffy and Angel said.

Piper and Phoebe walked to their end of the island and placed their bowls on the counter, each facing the other. Phoebe picked up the bowl to her left to add its contents to her batter. Piper picked up the bowl to her right to add its contents to her batter. They both continued mixing as Buffy and Angel put the drinks in the refrigerator.

"Um, butter?" Piper asked.

Without breaking the rhythm and without looking up, Buffy grabbed the block of butter off the top shelf of the refrigerator and threw it to Piper who easily caught it with her right hand without looking up from her mixing bowl. Phoebe finished, picked up her bowl, and turned to head over to the counter. She stopped when Leo orbed into the kitchen in front of her, breaking her stride.

"Hey, you're breaking the flow. Move it." Phoebe said.

Leo stepped aside. "Sorry."

"Where have you been?" Piper asked.

"With the other Avatars, making sure everything went all right."

"Why wouldn't it?" Buffy asked.

"You tell me. How are you guys doing?"

"Are you kidding? I feel great." Phoebe said, picking up the pie crust pan as Buffy opened the oven door. "Better than I have in…. God, I don't even know how long."

Buffy put the pie crust that Phoebe handed her in the oven and closed the door. Angel picked up the pan of finished cookies and handed them to Piper as she said, "Six and a half years, but who's counting?"

"Try nine years for me." Buffy said. "I've been at it since I was 15 and I'm 24 now."

"Of course, we haven't been out in the real world yet, but…." Phoebe said.

"If it feels anything like it does in here…." Piper said.

"Then we have no complaints." Angel finished.

"None." Buffy said. "Actually, we're gonna celebrate. We're gonna have a little party."

"A party? Today?" Leo asked.

"Yeah. Why not?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know, maybe you just wanted to make sure that everything worked all right."

"Leo, it works." Angel said.

"Better than we expected." Buffy said.

"Besides, we have a lot of catching up to do, especially with our friends." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, I'm a little nervous." Piper said. "I'm not sure I know how to socialize with normal people."

"Oh, you'll be fine." Buffy said. "Especially since no demons will be attacking."

"They're still out there." Leo warned.

"Yeah, but they won't be attacking. They're all on the run."

"Come on, just enjoy it." Phoebe said. "We have you to thank for all this."

"How's Paige?" Leo asked.

"Better, I think." Piper said.

"It's gonna take her some time, though." Phoebe said. "Kyle meant a lot to her."

"But it does help her to know that he's gone on to a better place." Angel said.

"Absolutely." Buffy said.

"Is she upstairs?" Leo asked.

"She's at Kyle's apartment getting some stuff." Phoebe said, taking her apron off. "And I think I'm gonna go to work and check out the real world."

"All right. Well, I'm gonna go check on Paige." Leo orbed out as Phoebe left the kitchen,

"Ok, you two, but don't be late!" Piper called as she picked up the bowl of salt and sprinkled it into her mixture.


	85. Chapter 85

Chapter 85

The door opened and Phoebe returned home. Buffy was walking into the dining room carrying a tray of goodies. "Hi!" Buffy called as Alex waddle-ran behind her.

"Bebe!" Alex jumped into Phoebe's arms.

"Hi sweetheart!" Phoebe looked at the beautifully set up table. "Oh, wow. Wow! Ooh!" She started to sample the food, but Piper came out and stopped her.

"No, no! No! No touchy-touchy." Piper said.

"I just want to make sure it's not poisoned." Phoebe said.

"No, I want everything to be perfect. We've waited a long time for this day."

"Piper, everything is perfect." Buffy said.

"It looks amazing." Angel said, walking out of the kitchen with another tray.

"I can't believe you did all this since I left." Phoebe said.

"Well, when I'm not mixing vanquishing potions all the time, I tend to get a lot more done." Piper said. "I forgot how much I like cooking."

"We're all good."

"Yeah, as long as Leo makes it to the party."

"I thought he was just going over to Paige's."

"We did, too, but she came back without him, and now she's upstairs getting ready." Buffy said.

"Well, maybe he had some Avatar stuff to do? Hmm."

"I hope the Avatars don't keep him as busy as the Elders did." Piper said.

"I don't think he'd put up with that, Piper, and you know it." Phoebe said. "He created this better world so that you guys could be together again, as a family."

"Still…. I worry."

"And next to cooking, that's the second thing you do best."

Paige walked down the stairs and joined them. "Hey."

"Hey. How ya doin'?" Phoebe asked.

"Better. Thanks. Yeah. I am really looking forward to this party, you know? Take my mind off stuff. I just need to remind myself Kyle's in a better place, right?"

"Yeah, that's what I have to remind myself. This guy at work…. he just went away. It was really unexpected."

"Well, I'm sure it must all be for the best, you know, otherwise, it wouldn't have happened." Angel said.

"Right."

"Phoebe, do you want to help me get the kids dressed?" Buffy asked.

"Their clothes are laid out." Piper said.

"Sure, I'd love to help." Phoebe said, tickling Alex.

"And you and Angel can help me in the kitchen." Piper said to Paige. "Come on, chop-chop. We have a party to throw."

Buffy and Phoebe headed upstairs to Wyatt and Alex's room. Buffy went to get Chris from his little room in Piper's bedroom. When she came back, Phoebe had opened up the playpen and put Alex and Wyatt in it.

"That was quick." Buffy said, putting Chris in the playpen.

"Yeah, it went very smoothly." Phoebe gave Chris a toy to play with. "Ok, you wait there." She straightened up with Wyatt in her arms and went to pick up a pair of shoes.

Buffy picked up Alex. "Piper helped me pick out this adorable dress for Alex." She picked up a little dress and Phoebe let out a squeal. The dress was empire waisted with a big black satin bow that tied on the side. The skirt was dark pink with black velvet flowers and vines swirling around it with a netted underskirt to make it look fuller. The top was black velvet and short sleeved.

"That is so cute, Buffy!"

"And she's got a matching pink bow to go in her hair."

"We are gonna have so much fun today!"

"I can't wait."

"And you!" Phoebe turned to Wyatt. "You and Alex are gonna meet so many new friends at the party. But you can't orb, ok? You have to promise me. We don't want to scare the guests away, got it?"

Leo orbed into the room and Buffy shook her head. "Like that?" She asked Phoebe.

"We need to talk." Leo said.

"Yeah. You need to get ready for the party before your wife kills you." Phoebe said. "Figuratively speaking, of course."

"See, that, right there, that's what I'm talking about."

"What are you saying?" Buffy asked.

"I'm talking about the fact that what you said, Phoebe, you felt like you had to qualify it."

"Qualify what?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm talking about the Avatars and what they've done to you, what they've done to everybody."

"They've made everything better. You've made everything better." Buffy said.

"No, that was a mistake, ok, and I realize that now. And I need you guys to realize that, too, before what happened to Brody happens to somebody else we care about."

"Leo, you're scaring me."

"Good. You need to be scared, because it's the only way you're gonna understand the truth. The only way you're gonna be able to feel it."

"I don't understand." Phoebe said.

"But you can understand, that's the point. And you guys can help Piper and Paige understand, too. You can use your powers to feel the loss, to see that what the Avatars are doing is wrong."

"Leo, this is what we all wanted. What's going on?" Buffy asked.

Leo sighed. He headed over to the baby monitor and turned it on. "You'll see."

"What are you doing?" Leo took Phoebe and Buffy by their wrists and orbed them to Kyle's apartment.

"Leo, you can't just…." Phoebe started. She stopped and looked around, realizing that they were in Kyle's apartment.

"What are we doing here?" Buffy asked.

Leo picked up a snow globe from the floor. "I need you to get a vision. I need you to see what really happened to Agent Brody."

"We know what really happened to him. He's moved on to a better place." Phoebe said.

"Maybe so…. but it doesn't change the fact that somebody killed him." He held the snow globe out for Phoebe to take.

Phoebe glared at Leo, then sighed. She took the snow globe from him and closed her eyes. "I'm not getting anything."

"Use Buffy. Your powers are greater with her."

Phoebe took Buffy's hand and they touched the snow globe together. Immediately, a vision hit them. Kyle raised the potion. Beta's eyes widened. She threw a stream of electricity at Kyle. Kyle dropped the potions bottle as he was thrown across the room. He hit the kitchen counter and fell to the floor with a thud. Paige kneeled down next to him. And the vision stopped there.

"Oh, my god. She killed him." Buffy said.

"Yes. The Avatars don't want you to know that, though. They don't want you to know why people just suddenly disappear."

"Leo, why are you doing this?" Phoebe asked.

"Because it's the truth. They changed you so you couldn't feel the true pain of death. They want it to seem like it's a good thing, so the next time it happens, you don't even question it."

"No."

"Yes, and it's gonna happen again. As soon as they decide somebody in the world is creating too much conflict."

"Leo, we're not going back to the way it was." Buffy said. "Ok? We tried it for several years and it just didn't work."

"Please…."

"No." Phoebe said. "Leo, listen to me, ok? We made the world a better place, and we're gonna live in it just the way it is now. Do you understand?"

"I…."

"Take us back." Buffy demanded.

The party was in full swing. People were gathered around the lusciously filled food table. Cordelia and Doyle were talking excitedly to Angel. Willow, Xander, Tara, and Giles were in a little group near them chatting amongst themselves. A couple of children ran across the conservatory and into the sitting room where Piper and Paige had set up a small playpen for Chris.

Paige handed a baby blanket to Piper. "Would you just stop fussing and enjoy yourself already?"

Piper looked around and folded the blanket. "I can't. I'm worried."

"About what? Look, everybody seems to be having a great time. I didn't even know we knew this many people."

"I'm not worried about them, I'm worried about Leo. He should have been here by now. Where the heck are Buffy and Phoebe? They got the boys and Alex ready and then they just took off."

"Well, maybe they're together, or maybe you just don't know how to have a good time anymore."

"Is that a challenge?"

"If it works." Paige looked over and saw Phoebe and Leo descending the stairs. "There. You happy?"

Piper headed over to Leo and Buffy and Phoebe rushed past Piper. Phoebe went to Paige and Buffy went to Angel. "I need a drink." They both said.

"Hey, what's the matter?" Angel asked.

"I don't want to talk about it." Buffy smiled slightly. "Let's just have a good time."

"You look amazing, Buffy." Cordelia said, hugging the petite blonde.

"Thanks." Doyle handed Buffy a glass of wine. "Oh, thank you."

"Anytime." Doyle said. "You looked like you needed it."

"Excuse us." Angel pulled Buffy away and into an alcove. "What's going on?"

"Nothing." Buffy lied.

"I know you better than that."

"I don't want to talk about it, Angel. I just want to enjoy the party. Where's Alex?"

"She's with Wyatt in the sitting room. Buffy…."

Buffy touched Angel's arm where the sunlight was hitting him, but not burning him. The Avatars had turned him into an immortal being without a demon in him. He could go in the sun. He could touch crosses. He could do everything without the limitations his vampirism had put on him. What would happen to him if everything came crumbling down.

"Buffy, what's going on?"

"Leo!" Piper cried.

"Everyone get down!" Leo shouted. Buffy and Angel moved out to see what was going on as everyone else ducked.

Leo threw streams of electricity at three demons standing in the conservatory. He missed and blew up the furniture instead. Party guests screamed as they took cover. Leo stepped aside to go after the demons. "Buffy, the children!" Piper yelled.

Buffy and Piper turned and headed for the sitting room where their kids were. One demon threw a fireball at Leo, but Leo ducked. It missed him and hit the painting on the hallway wall behind him instead. Another demon threw a fireball and hit the light fixture on the wall as people screamed. Phoebe ran to get to the other side of the room and a fireball nearly hit her. She ducked behind the couch and it hit the couch instead.

Leo again blasted the demons with streams of electricity. Two of the demons surrounding the main demon blew up and exploded. The main demon looked to either side and saw them gone. "Die, Elder, die!" He threw a fireball at Leo.

Leo blasted the fireball and threw electricity at the demon, pushing him up against the wall. Finally, the demon exploded. Leo looked around to make sure that everyone was all right. Leo didn't spot Phoebe right away, but he saw Buffy.

"Don't let them make you forget why I'm doing this, Buffy. It's supposed to hurt. Go to the Book, remember all the losses, then go to Zankou."

"Wait. Zankou?" Buffy asked. As she looked at Leo, Leo vanished from existence.

Buffy looked over at the couch where Phoebe was getting up. The party guests started standing up. They continued their conversations with each other as if nothing ever happened to disrupt it. The guests in the dining room stood up and picked up their plates to get food off the table. Phoebe and Buffy's eyes locked and they started to understand.

Paige walked over to Piper carrying Chris. "Are you all right?"

"Uh, I don't know. I guess so." Piper said.

Paige took Chris from Piper who appeared a little stunned. "I'm really sorry about Leo."

"Yeah, me, too…. But at least he's gone on to a better place."

Buffy and Phoebe stared at Piper knowing her reaction was very, very wrong. Angel walked up next to Buffy. "God, that's just…. Well, he's gone on to a better place."

"No." Buffy said.

"What? Of course he has. There's my little girl!" Angel held out his arms for Alex and she practically dove into them.

Buffy walked away and over to Phoebe. "He said to go to the Book."

"And do what?" Phoebe asked.

"'Remember all the losses, then go to Zankou.'"

"Zankou?" Buffy nodded. "Why would he say that?"

The party was over and Paige was standing near the open door as the guests leave. "I'm so sorry things got out of hand, guys." She called after them.

Piper was in the dining room carrying a used plate. Buffy and Phoebe followed her around the table. "Don't you think that was all a little weird?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, it was kind of touch-and-go there for a second with the demon attack, but it all worked out ok." Piper said.

"Still, it seemed a little, I don't know, off." Buffy said. The children were all crying in the conservatory, but no one was paying attention to them. Buffy wanted desperately to go to her daughter, but she had to make Piper see what was happening.

Piper gathered more used plates around the table. "Well, I certainly wasn't expecting any more attacks, but thank God Leo was there to take care of it."

"Yes, but it would have been nice if Leo didn't have to go to a better place in the process, you know?" Phoebe asked.

"I know, but…. what he did, he did for his family. And for that I will always love him."

"Paige, could you make sure the boys are ok?" Piper asked as they walked into the kitchen.

"Angel's on it." Buffy said. "It's really impressive that you can stay so calm after such a shock."

"Well, I'd be freaking out if I thought there were more demons out there. I'd like to think those days are finally behind us."

"I can't make them stop." Angel said, walking in. "They're so upset."

"Well, it's understandable. We're all upset about demons being in the house."

"You really think that's why they're crying?" Buffy asked incredulously.

"What else would it be?" Paige asked.

"Ok! Mommy's coming!" Piper headed out of the kitchen.

"You guys ok?" Paige asked Phoebe and Buffy.

"I don't know." Phoebe said.

"It's like Kyle, you know? It's really a big deal. But we're never gonna forget him."

"Never forget." Buffy said. She grabbed Phoebe's hand. "We have to check the Book of Shadows for something." She pulled Phoebe out of the kitchen and towards the attic.

"What are we doing?" Phoebe asked.

Buffy stopped and looked at the Book of Shadows on the bookstand. "We're going to remember."

"Remember what?"

"All the losses." Buffy took Phoebe's hand and placed their hands on the Book of Shadows. The vision hit them and they suddenly remembered everything.

Andy burst into the house, his gun drawn. Inspector Rodriguez turned and threw an energy ball at Andy. It hit him square in the chest and threw him high up into the living room where he crashed against the far wall cabinet.

Jenny Calendar ran straight into Angelus on the school steps and he snapped her neck. Buffy listened to Giles tell her over the phone that Jenny had been killed and she heard Willow's sobs as he told her after Buffy handed her the phone.

Grams was on the stairs when she felt a sharp pain in her chest. She collapsed down to the bottom of the stairs.

Buffy watched the stake go through Angel's heart and he turned to dust right in front of her eyes.

Phoebe rushed forward and found Miles on the sidewalk dead.

Piper was on the hospital bed, dead, and Buffy was clinging to her hand sobbing. The doctors defibed her to get her heart going again, but the monitor next to the bed flatlined.

Leo kneeled down next to the bed as Chris died in his arms, Buffy holding Chris's hand the whole time.

The Charmed Ones trapped Cole in a crystal cage where he exploded.

Buffy shoved the sword through Angel's heart and watched him being sucked into hell.

Then they were at Prue's funeral and the pain hit home.

Buffy and Phoebe both took deep breaths, trying to calm their hearts after feeling all the pain of the losses of family and loved-ones over the years. "Oh, my god." Buffy said. They heard the children crying and Buffy ran out, Phoebe right behind her. Paige was sitting on the couch holding Chris while Wyatt sat next to her and cried. Angel walked around the room bouncing a screaming Alex.

"We can't get them to calm down." Angel said as Phoebe picked Wyatt up.

"We can." Buffy said. "Where is Piper?"

"She's in the kitchen," Paige said. "But…."

Buffy turned and rushed into the kitchen. Piper was cleaning up, calm as could be. "Piper, I really need to talk to you. The Avatars didn't tell us everything up front."

"What?" Piper asked.

"Pain, grief, mourning…. These are all things that we're supposed to be feeling when we lose someone we love…. like Leo."

"Leo? Uh, Buffy, he's moved on to a better place, and if you don't mind, I'd rather not dwell on such a painful memory."

"Ok, but if he's in a better place, then why are the boys crying right now? Why is Alex screaming right now? It's not because of demons. They were practically raised around them."

"Yes, well, but…."

"Piper, listen to me! Leo is dead. The Avatars killed him. And the boys and Alex are just too young to feel it the way that we do, the way we were programmed to feel it."

"Programmed? Buffy, what's gotten into you?"

"This is what Leo was trying to show us. Leo allowed the Avatars to kill him so that we could understand what's going on here."

"I don't want to hear this." Piper turned away from Buffy.

"I know you don't want to hear this, but listen to your boys. That's pain, and it's real."

"Buffy, stop."

"Listen to Alex!" Piper shook her head, not wanting to believe any of it. With the truth of Buffy's words, also came the overwhelming grief. "Piper, how can you not see it? The only reason you're ok with all of this was because you wanted to be with Leo. And now they've taken him away?"

Piper started to cry. "Why? Why would they do that?"

"Because Leo caused conflict. And this is the only way they could keep Utopia going." Buffy hugged Piper tightly as they listened to their children crying in the other room.


	86. Chapter 86

Chapter 86

Buffy, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe orbed into Kyle's apartment. "You guys better have a good reason for bringing me here, because I don't want to be here." Paige said.

"And that's exactly why we are here." Buffy said. "Paige, Kyle died, and now it's time that you feel it."

"I felt it! And it would've felt a lot worse if I didn't know he'd gone on to a better place."

"Well, that's the thing." Piper said. "It should have felt a lot worse. The Avatars made our pain go away after they killed Kyle."

"Buffy and I had a vision of him dying…. when we touched this." Phoebe picked up the snow globe.

"He attacked one of the Avatars with his potion, and she killed him." Buffy said.

"Do you remember that, Paige?"

"Why are you doing this to me?" Paige asked.

"He died right here in your arms." Buffy said.

"We saw it." Phoebe said.

"We felt it."

"And now you have to feel it, too."

"Paige, it's the only way we can stop them."

"I don't want to." Paige said.

"You have to. Just like I did." Piper said.

Paige started crying. "I don't want to."

Piper walked over to Paige and held her. "Shh. It's ok."

"Why did they do this?"

"To give us what we wanted." Phoebe said.

"What we thought we wanted." Buffy added.

"What do we do now?" Paige asked.

"We're gonna do what Leo said and go find ourselves a demon."

"What about Angel?" Piper asked.

Buffy sighed. "I'll get him back when we stop the Avatars."

Piper blew up the demons around Zankou and sent him flying to the ground. He raised his head and saw The Charmed Ones and the Slayer walk into the tomb he'd been hiding in.

"What's the matter, Zankou? Chicken?" Phoebe asked.

Zankou smiled, more than pleased to see them. He stood up and brushed the dust off his jacket. "Good thing you girls got here when you did. I was about to leave."

"To go where?" Buffy asked.

"To live to fight another day."

"You won't get that chance if you don't tell us what we want to hear." Piper said.

"Save it. You need me. That's why Leo sent you. Glad to see he didn't die in vain after all."

"Get to the point." Buffy snapped.

"The point is that Leo was working with me, same as Agent Brody before him: to undo what has been done."

"Kyle was working with you?" Paige asked.

"How do you think he was able to get close enough to kill an Avatar? He realized then that the combined force of good and evil…."

"You have a greater reason for wanting to do that than we do: survival." Buffy said.

"True. But then again, you obviously want it, too. Otherwise, we wouldn't even be having this conversation, now, would we? Now, you go ahead and talk amongst yourselves. I'm not going anywhere." Zankou stepped back.

"I'm not so sure about this." Paige said.

"Neither am I, but I don't think we have a choice." Phoebe said.

"She's right." Buffy said. "We're running out of allies."

"We can't work with a demon." Piper said.

"Leo did."

"Yeah, and look where it got him."

"But that was the Avatars, not Zankou."

"So how do we know he's not picking us off one by one? What if this is a setup?"

"Well, he helped Kyle get rid of an Avatar." Paige said. "They're who he's really after, and so are we."

"Ok, fine." Piper said. "So what if this works? Where does that leave us? We're fighting demons again? Is that what we really want?"

"Is this?" Phoebe asked.

"Look, just because we wanted it so badly doesn't make it right." Paige said. "Kyle knew it was wrong. He knew the Avatars couldn't be trusted. I just didn't believe him."

"Neither did we." Buffy said.

"Still, we can believe in him now. Leo, too. We can finish what they started so they didn't die in vain."

Buffy turned to face Zankou. "So what's the plan?"

"The plan is for you four to make a very special potion."

Various views switched rapidly in the hologram in the center of the circular table. Gamma searched for The Charmed Ones and Buffy. "What's the matter?" Alpha asked.

"I can't find the sisters and the Slayer." Gamma said.

"None of them?"

"I don't understand. I just had them."

"It's all right. They'll have to surface sooner or later."

"You got that right." Piper said. They looked up and find Piper, Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige standing on the stairs behind them. Zankou stood just behind them, united with them. The Avatars turned around and a couple of them rushed forward. Piper, Buffy, and Zankou motioned with their hands, each sending an Avatar flying backward away from them.

Several more Avatars stepped toward them, but Paige raised her hand, a menacing potion bottle clutched in her grip. "I wouldn't do that if I were you."

"What are those?" Gamma asked.

"I think you know what they are." Zankou said.

"And I think you know what he is." Phoebe said.

"What's the meaning of this?" Alpha asked.

"I don't think we have anything to explain." Buffy said. "We're not the ones going around killing people."

"We only did what was necessary to maintain Utopia." Gamma said.

"The little loophole you forgot to tell us about?" Paige asked.

"It was never our intention to deceive, Paige." Alpha said. "We merely gave you the world you asked for."

"Again, except for the fact that you were killing people." Piper said.

"Their fates are regrettable. But I guarantee you that fewer people by far will be lost under our rule than under the chaos of good and evil."

"Yeah, but at least with good and evil, people knew what they were dying for." Buffy said.

"And given the choice of what we had and what you're offering…." Piper said.

"Now we know what 'it' is…." Paige said.

"We'll take our free will back any day." Phoebe finished.

"Hear, hear." Zankou said.

Alpha shook his head, still not understanding the reasoning. He broke away from the group and walked over toward them. "You'd seriously be willing to give up peace of mind, the normal life you so covet…. to go back to the way things were? To fighting the likes of him again?"

"Warts and all." Piper said.

Gamma looked at Alpha. "They're not ready for us."

"Perhaps not." Alpha said. "But they will be someday. What we want for the world is worth waiting for. Very well. We will use what remains of our power to rewind time to when Utopia began."

"Does that mean Leo will be alive again?" Buffy asked.

"Of course."

"And Kyle?" Paige asked.

"That, unfortunately, is beyond our powers."

"Are you kidding me? You can bring everyone that you have killed back to life, but Kyle is beyond your powers?"

"The further something recedes into the past, the more power it takes to reverse it." Gamma said.

"We can either bring back Agent Brody or return the world to the way it was, but I'm afraid we cannot do both." Alpha said.

Grief stricken, Paige raised her hand to throw the potion at them. Buffy grabbed her wrist and stopped her. "Put the world back." Buffy said, holding Paige's hand tightly.

"I'm sorry this didn't work out, for your sakes as well as ours." Alpha said.

"Touching. I'm gonna miss you guys." Zankou said.

The avatars resumed their positions around the circular table. From the middle, a bright beam of light rose out and headed upward into the sky.

A man and woman asleep on a table at an outdoor café both stirred. They found their coffee spilled. "What the hell? Did you just dump your coffee on me?" The man yelled.

"What are you talking about? You spilled yours on me, you son of a bitch!" The woman yelled back.

"Why, you moron! You dumped your coffee on me!"

"I'm a moron?"

Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper stood on the sidewalk, watching the arguing and chaos of their normal world unfold.

A van driver exited his vehicle and stormed up to a car driver. "This is totally your fault!"

"My fault? You hit me!" The car driver said.

"Yeah? Well, all I'm saying I you better have some good insurance!"

"No, you better have insurance, cause I'm gonna call the cops on your ass!"

"Oh, please! Gimme your I.D., man! Gimme your I.D., man!"

A woman across the street tripped and dropped her bag of oranges. The fruit spilled out and rolled onto the sidewalk. Several people passed by without stopping to help her.

"Wow! I've never been so excited to hear the sounds of people arguing." Piper said.

"Tell me about it." Buffy said.

"It's good to be back." Phoebe said, nodded at an _Ask Phoebe_ ad across the street. They turned and saw Zankou standing on the opposite sidewalk across the busy street. "Warts and all."

Zankou raised his hand and motioned respectfully to them. Piper still had her reservations, but what was done was done. A bus passed between them and Zankou was gone. A small group of arguing college kids walked past behind them.

The door to the Manor opened and Piper and Buffy rushed into the house. "Leo?" Piper called.

"Angel!" Buffy called.

"We're in here." Leo said.

The women turned the corner and found Leo and Angel sitting in the conservatory with the kids. "Oh, thank God." Piper said.

"It's ok. I'm all right."

"Angel?" Buffy asked, walking up to him. He was sitting in the sunlight.

"Leo explained to me what happened." Angel said. "Apparently the transformation's permanent."

"I think it's because it was a side effect of the spell that no one foresaw and couldn't reverse." Leo said.

Piper walked into his arms and they held on to each other. "Wow. You kinda really scared me this time."

"You're not the only one." Buffy said.

"That was the plan." Leo said. "I was banking on you saving me."

"Ok, well, next time, come up with a different plan." Piper said.

"Next time."

"So, wait. You remember everything even though you technically died, but then you didn't because time rewound, so…. am I making any sense?"

"Yeah. See, I remember everything because I was unaffected by the spell, and you remember everything because you broke it. And even though time rewound, we still experienced it."

"Headache forming." Buffy said.

"All that matters is that we fixed it, regardless of the consequences."

"Consequences. You mean Kyle?" Piper asked.

"No. I mean the Elders. I went against them and sided with the Avatars. It can't go unpunished."

"Yeah, but everything you did, you did to make the world a safer place for everyone, including us."

"I don't think they're gonna see it that way. See, no matter what I did…."

"What we did." Buffy corrected.

"Whether it was well-intentioned or not…. it's gonna cost me."

"Well, at least it didn't cost you your life, which, at this moment, is the only thing I'm concerned with. I don't want to lose you ever again." Leo reached out and cupped Piper's cheek with the palm of his hand as they looked at each other.

Buffy hugged Angel tightly. "So, what does this mean for you?"

"I don't know." Angel said. "I guess we'll find out." He held her tightly to him, watching Alex play with Wyatt.


	87. Chapter 87

Chapter 87

Piper was on the phone with her manager walking around the kitchen. She was carrying Chris while Wyatt sat at the table with Alex in their high chairs drinking from sippy cups and sharing a tray of Cheerios. Buffy sat with them going over a guest list for the wedding that was in two weeks.

"Yeah, I get that, Rex, but I need you at the club. You're supposed to be there." Piper said. "Valentine's day is going to be a very busy night. Can't you ask her to marry you on another night?"

Phoebe walked in reading the newspaper. "Have you seen this?" She asked Buffy.

"You know what? I'll handle it. Good luck." Piper hung up and muttered. "I hope she says no."

"Take a look at this. This is the new face of evil." Phoebe said, pointing to the article with the headline, 'Normand Admits to Gouging Customers'. "His name is John Normand, and he owns the phone company, and he's been stealing from us for months. Doesn't that just make you angry?"

"Not really." Buffy said as Piper took Chris and headed over to the changing table.

"Wait, he's been stealing from us, and he's probably gonna get away with it due to some loophole or something."

"Phoebe, I'm a little more worried about the actual demons in the world. You know, the ones that we almost got rid of?"

"Yeah, well, there's nothing we could do about them. We tried to save the world, it didn't work, the demons are gonna attack when they're gonna attack."

"And when they do, we're just gonna be right back to the same old…."

"Wow!" Piper cried, turning her head from the smell in Chris's diaper.

"Whoa, you're not kidding. Wow!" Phoebe said.

Piper shuddered and threw the diaper in the trash. "Okey-dokey. Speaking of which, Buffy, could you do me a favor and watch the boys tonight? I need Leo and Angel to help me set up at P-3 and apparently, my manager is busy proposing."

"Yeah, sure, of course." Buffy said.

"I'll help." Phoebe offered. "I mean, it's not like anyone's proposing to me or like anyone's sending me flowers or reciting me poetry. So much for the little girl I saw in my vision."

"Well, Phoebe, just because the Avatars are gone doesn't mean that you won't still find love." Buffy said.

"Easy for you to say. You have Angel. And Piper has Leo."

"Yeah, but do I really?" Piper asked. "It's only a matter of time before the Elders try to punish him for becoming an Avatar, which they practically drove him to anyway with Gideon and everything."

"Well, they made Kyle a whitelighter, and that's good, right?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, but it took him away from Paige, and, believe me, they got their cosmic jollies off that one."

"Where is Paige?" Phoebe asked.

"At Magic School. Where else? Why?"

"Just worried about her. That's all." Phoebe turned and walked out of the kitchen leaving Piper and Buffy with that thought.

Buffy was playing the children in the conservatory while Phoebe was on the phone arguing with someone from the phone company. "No, you cannot put me on hold again. Now, when are you going to send me a refund for my phone bill? What do you mean never? Look, this is…. You know what? Forget it. I have call waiting anyway, which you're probably overcharging me for, right?"

Phoebe tossed the phone and it started ringing. Buffy chuckled and picked it up. "Hello?"

"Hey, Buffy, it's Darryl."

"Darryl, hi! Did you and Shelia get that invitation to the wedding?"

"Yes, we did. Look, we've got bigger things to worry about. Sheridan's back."

"What? Oh, no! Any more good news?"

"Your friend Brody came to visit me last night and told me that he brought her out of the coma. Didn't you say he died?"

"Yeah, well, we never said it stuck. He became a whitelighter."

"Point is he did some mumbo jumbo on her where she doesn't remember anything that happened."

"Well, does she remember us?"

"I don't know yet. He told me to tell her that they went on some undercover mission and that he died and she wound up in a coma. Now, just how long do you expect her to buy that?"

"I don't know, but as long as we don't trigger her memory, we should be fine."

"Trigger? What do you mean trigger?"

"Her memory could come back if she's reminded of it. That's why you have to keep her away from us."

"Phoebe, I need you upstairs!" Paige called from the attic.

"Ok! Coming!" Phoebe called back, turning to go upstairs.

Buffy noticed Wyatt taking a toy from Chris. "Darryl, I'm sorry, I gotta go. You're just gonna have to deal with this like the rest of us." She hung up. "Wyatt, give that back to Chris please." Wyatt yawned as he orbed Chris's toy back to him. Alex yawned too and Buffy stood up. "Ok, let's go take naps, huh?" She picked Chris up. "Wyatt, will you orb Alex and yourself up to your room? I'll be in as soon as I put Chris down." Wyatt and Alex orbed upstairs. Buffy went upstairs and put Chris down. She checked on Wyatt and Alex before grabbing the baby monitor and heading up to the attic. "I just put the kids down for a nap, so let's try and keep it down, ok? Who are you?"

"Hi." A tall, dark, and handsome man standing between Phoebe and Paige said.

"Hi."

"Drake, Buffy. Buffy, Drake." Paige said. "Uh, yeah. He's an ex-demon."

"Excuse me?"

"I thought you guys had lots of experience with demons who were human." Drake said. "You're marrying one, aren't you?"

"Yes. How did you know that?"

"You know, gossip. Around the office cauldron. Anyway, point is, girls, you don't know what it's like to be judged simply by the way you were born." Drake snapped his fingers. He immediately changed into Cyrano de Bergerac, complete with frilly French costume and bad French accent. "Look well at me and tell me, with what hope this vile protuberance can inspire my heart!"

Phoebe chuckled as Paige said to Buffy, "He's very dramatic."

"I see that." Buffy said. "Look, I don't know why Cyrano is here, but he should probably leave because we have our own problems."

"But, my dear Roxanne, feel'st thou my soul, here?" Drake clutched his heart dramatically.

"You know, I don't have a date for valentine's day and he is kind of hot." Phoebe said.

"He's hot until you figure out how many people he's killed." Paige said.

"Whoa, hey, wait a minute. I never killed anyone." Drake said. He snapped his fingers and changed back into his leather jacket and motorcycle riding gear. "Except demons. Killed plenty of them."

"Join the club." Buffy said. "Sucks, doesn't it?"

"You're telling me in your whole demonic career you have not killed one innocent?" Paige asked.

"That's because since the day I was hatched I've been reading books, and they taught me about feelings." Drake said. "Human feelings. Love, sadness, death. Since then, I could never harm an innocent. I always found a way around doing that."

"What do you think?"

"I kind of believe him." Phoebe said. She looked at Buffy. "You?"

"I don't know." Buffy said.

"We should ask Piper."

"Oh, come on! Paige, tell her I'm the right man for the job."

"Job? What job?"

"Fill them in. I'll be back." Paige orbed out.

"So, you, uh, do you ladies like Gene Kelly movies?" Drake asked.

"Love 'em." Phoebe said.

"Why?" Buffy asked.

Drake smiled brightly.

Phoebe walked down the stairs and saw Buffy sitting on the couch dressed like Marilyn Monroe in the pink dress from _Gentleman Prefer Blondes_. Her hair was even short and platinum blonde like Marilyn's had been. Drake was dressed like Gene Kelly from _Singing in the Rain_. The two were chatting and laughing. "Wow."

"The lovely Miss Summers has informed me that she prefers Marilyn Monroe movies." Drake said.

"Do you like?" Buffy asked, preening slightly and causing Phoebe to laugh.

"'Diamonds are a girl's best friend.'" Drake sang dramatically.

"Let me get this straight, you do musical theater as well?" Phoebe asked.

Drake whirled around and stopped in front of Phoebe. "Oh, I'm full of surprises." He snapped his fingers and Phoebe changed into a white dress and black vest.

"What's this?"

"Another surprise." Music started to play and the two began to dance. "Happy Valentine's Day."

"And to you." They leaned forward to kiss each other, but before they did, Piper's voice stopped them.

"Get your paws off of her!" Phoebe and Drake turned to find Paige with Piper standing next to the couch.

"So much for romance." Drake said.

"Piper! We were just having fun." Phoebe said. "You know fun. Tell her Buffy."

"We were just having fun." Buffy said, putting her arm around Angel's waist.

"With the demon?" Piper asked. "Phoebe, Buffy, how many times have I told you two not to play dress-up with the demons?"

"I'm sure it's harmless." Paige said.

"Incidentally, Piper, I am an ex-demon." Drake said.

"Look, buddy, we're not gonna let a demon or an ex-demon teach at Magic School. It's ridiculous." Piper said.

"Maybe you're right." Phoebe sighed. "Drake, I'm really sorry. It's just not a real feasible thing for you to do this. It could cause too many problems."

"No, you're making a terrible mistake." Drake said. "As an ex-demon, I can get through to these kids. I can keep them from going down the path of evil. Phoebe, talk to them. Make them see reason."

"I can't. Look, I appreciate what you're trying to do, but it's just…. it's not really practical. I'm sorry."

"No, this is all wrong. The problem here isn't me, it's you four. You've been shaken to the core by what's happened with the Avatars." He looked at Paige. "You, you just lost faith in yourself, and you two," He looked at Phoebe and Buffy. "You two have been disheartened by the fight, and you," He looked at Piper. "Sweetheart, you are just plain mean."

Piper laughed. "Watch it." Behind her, Paige put a hand over her mouth to hide her smile, but she laughed anyway and Piper glanced back at her.

"You're mean because you closed down your heart. You're petrified it's gonna get broken again, aren't you? You know, there's only one man I know who can solve all of these problems." Drake snapped his fingers and suddenly, they all changed into costume. Paige and Piper were dressed in leather as merry men, Phoebe and Buffy were dressed in pearl-white gowns with long, flowing red hair as two Maid Marians, and Drake and Angel were dressed in leather with a bow and quiver of arrows across their backs. "Oh, come on! Robin Hood! Well, two Robin Hoods."

"Why two?" Buffy asked.

"Because there were no other great romances in the story. So, why _not_ two!"

"Oh, you!" Paige said. "I'm gonna hire you just so I can fire you."

"Do we look merry to you?" Piper asked.

"Well, perhaps you should see the world as Robin Hood would have." Drake said. "He believed in himself, and he also loved the thrill of the fight. And despite the threat of imminent death, he found love with his dear Maid Marian." He stepped forward and kissed the back of Phoebe's hand.

"Ohh, that's very sweet. Isn't that…." Phoebe looked over at Paige and Piper, less than thrilled at being dressed as merry men. Buffy and Angel just looked amused. "You should probably change us back."

"Very well." Drake sighed and snapped his fingers, changing everyone back.

"Kitchen. Now. Let's go." Piper turned and headed into the kitchen. Buffy, Angel, Paige, and Phoebe followed. "We need to vanquish him. Now."

"Vanquish him?" Buffy asked. "Are you sure?"

"Well, if he doesn't leave, we don't really have a choice."

"But his heart is in the right place." Phoebe said.

"But on the other hand, he still has his demonic powers." Paige said.

"Hi. Waffle much?" Piper said. There was a loud crash in the main hall and they all turned to see Drake leaning against the wall. A sorcerer stood above him as he started to cast a spell.

"The darkness within cannot be undone." A soft glow pulsed through Drake as the spell started. "Embrace your true self!"

"Oh! Here we go again!" Piper said. Buffy waved her hands and the sorcerer was thrown across the hallway. He fell to the floor with a thud.

"Damn it!" The sorcerer vanished.

"Drake!" Phoebe rushed over to Drake and kneeled down next to him. "Are you ok?"

"Drake? Who's Drake?" Drake said. "I'm Robin. Of Locksley."

"Of course you are." Paige turned and looked at Piper who stared at Drake.


	88. Chapter 88

Chapter 88

A red apple sat on a stack of books. Drake suddenly stepped out into the main hall, the arrow on his bow. "Stand and deliver!" He shot and missed the apple completely, impaling a throw pillow on the couch instead. "Excellent!" He smiled and reached back to draw another arrow from the quiver on his back. He reached and reached and reached, but couldn't grab the arrow because his arms were too short and the quiver was too low. "John will be no match for me." Finally, Drake pulled out an arrow or two while the other arrows fell messily to the floor.

"Uh, Robin?" Piper said. "You missed. And if you put a hole in my wall, you'll have me to answer to, not some prince."

"My apologies, my good woman, but my aim must be true if I am to right John's wrong." Drake accidentally released the arrow and it hit what looked like a hat hanging on the far wall.

"Right. Just be careful." Piper turned and headed into the conservatory to join Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Paige at the conservatory table where Phoebe was looking through the Book of Shadows. "Please tell me you found a way to fix Robin in there."

"Not yet. Can't you just freeze him?" Phoebe asked.

"Nope, not freezin'."

"Sorry, you guys." Paige said. "Another big mistake bringing him here." They heard another arrow release and glass broke as it hit the lamp shade.

"No, it's just our lives." Buffy said.

"I can fix that!" Drake called.

"Anything that can go wrong will go wrong."

"Yeah, but I don't understand why it went wrong." Paige said. "Why does the Sorcerer want to turn Drake into Robin Hood of all things?"

"I don't think he meant to." Angel said. "I think he meant to bring out Drake's inner demon so he could use his powers. But then Buffy hit him mid-spell, so, instead, we got his inner Robin Hood."

Drake turned the corner, the bow and arrow behind his back. He pretended he spotted something and shouted, "Royal hound!" He released an arrow and it hit the glass vase full of flowers, breaking it into pieces. "Sorry! My fault!"

"Well, another mistake for The Charmed Ones and the Chosen One." Paige said.

"It wasn't a mistake. It was an accident." Piper said.

"Either way we messed up."

"Ok…." Phoebe said. "I found a vanquishing potion for the Sorcerer, but, of course, there's no way to find him."

"Well, how is finding the Sorcerer even gonna fix Drake anyway?" Buffy asked.

"Actually, I think it will, because if we vanquish the Sorcerer, then it should reverse his magic." Piper said.

Drake crouched behind the dining room table. He quickly stood up with his bow and arrow, pretending to spot something in front of him. "Saxon dog!" He released the arrow and hit the red apple on the stack of books square in its middle.

"Ok, well, I'll go to Magic School and I'll ask Miss Donovan to look through things and see if she can find something that helps us find the Sorcerer." Paige said.

"Or you could just do it yourself." Phoebe suggested.

"Yeah, well, I don't know the archives that well, and knowing me, I'd probably mess up." Paige orbed out.

"What are we gonna do with her?"

"We'll fix her later." Piper said. "Right now we need to deal with him."

Suddenly, there was a loud crash from the other room. Behind Piper, Drake slid on the dining room table top and the papers on the table were strewn around. Something caught Drake's eyes and he picked up Phoebe's phone bill, suddenly fascinated by what he saw.

"What is he doing with my phone bill?" Phoebe asked. They all got up to find out.

"Marian, these taxes are outrageous!" Drake whirled around to look at Phoebe. She automatically ducked as the arrows in the quiver on his back swung dangerously past her. "Prince John has gone too far."

"Ok, I'm not Marian, I'm Phoebe, remember? And give me that!" Phoebe grabbed her phone bill from Drake's hands.

"Prince John has been dead for centuries. He's not taxing anyone anymore." Angel said.

"Yeah. The phone company is owned by a different John and he's…. well, a really swell guy."

"Nonsense!" Drake said. "The evidence of his misdeeds is right there on the parchment." He motioned to the open newspaper article on the table.

"You left that out?" Buffy asked.

"Well, who knew?" Phoebe said.

"I think it's high time I paid John a visit." Drake whirled around to look at the empty main hall. Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe automatically pulled back as the arrows in the quiver on Drake's back swung dangerously past them. "My steed!" He snapped his fingers and his motorcycle appeared in the main hall. "Horsepower."

"What kind of Robin Hood rides a motorcycle?" Buffy asked.

"Forget that!" Phoebe said. "What are we gonna do? We can't just let him go out there."

"Especially not with Sheridan back."

"Sheridan's back?" Piper asked.

"Did I forget to mention that?"

The bike's engine revved and Piper motioned toward Drake. "Go with him." She said Phoebe.

"What?" Phoebe said.

"You're the Marian person. Go with him!"

Phoebe handed Piper her phone bill and headed over to the bike. "Robin! Wait…." She climbed on the back of the bike behind Drake. "Ok…. here we go." Drake handed Phoebe his bow. "Oh! Ok."

"Helmets, please, people!" Piper called.

Drake snapped his fingers and a helmet appeared on Phoebe's head along with a pair of sunglasses. A metal knight's helmet appeared on Drake's head. "Hold on, milady." Drake pushed down the knight's hood over his face and motioned with his hands. The front double doors opened and they rode out of the house. On her way out, Phoebe grabbed her sweater. Once they were gone, Piper put a hand to her forehead and groaned.

Piper was standing over an open cauldron, boiling on the stove. Buffy paced the kitchen talking to Phoebe on the phone. "No, Phoebe, you can't take him to John Norman's office." She said. "That is a very bad idea. You have to bring him back here. I said you have to bring him back here! Phoebe? Phoebe! Damn it."

Leo walked into the kitchen and Piper said, "Do I really need this today, or ever?"

"Relax." Leo said. "You guys can handle it."

"This, coming from the man who refuses to help." Buffy said.

"Well, I told you I'm afraid that I'm gonna piss off the Elders and they can recycle me. You guys don't want that, do you?"

"No, of course not." Piper said. "But it's just…. we were this close to a life without Elders, without demons, without freakin' Robin Hood running through the streets threatening to expose us."

Leo walked over to her and rubbed her shoulders, trying to get Piper to relax. "I know. But this is the life that we have now, and we have to make the best out of it, ok? So relax. Both of you. You can handle it just like you've done before."

"Thank you." Buffy said.

"Don't remind me." Piper said.

"Hey, has anyone seen Angel?"

"No. I thought he was with you." Leo said.

"Would you mind going to find him, Leo? I haven't seen him in a little while."

Leo nodded and started to walk out, but Paige orbed in his way. "Have you guys seen the news?"

"No." Buffy paused. "Wait, weren't you at Magic School?"

"Yeah. We have satellite." Paige turned around and grabbed the television remote. She turned the TV on mid-news report. It was a LIVE report from the NCC BRANCH OFFICE in Richmond.

"He apparently threw the stolen cash into the crowd, inciting a near riot. Police have launched a search for the man who bystanders describe as a modern day Robin Hood." Paige turned the tv off.

"Still think I can handle this one?" Piper asked.

"Just like the good old days." Leo said.

"Bite your tongue."

"Ok, you know what?" Paige said. "I should go warn Darryl. Because the cops have no idea what they're up against."

"No, no, no, wait. I need you to write a vanquishing spell."

"Why? You have the potion."

"Not for the sorcerer. For Drake."

"For Drake?" Buffy asked. "Really?"

"We need to be able to stop him, and this may be the only way. Leo, can you warn Darryl?"

"Uh, what about the Elders?" Leo asked.

"Oh, for god sakes. I don't think they're gonna strike you down for making a phone call."

"Right."

"You know what?" Paige said. "I found a spell at Magic School and it should be able to summon the Sorcerer. That way, we don't have to vanquish Drake."

"You mean, Miss Donovan found it?" Buffy asked.

"No. I found it. Come to think of it, I haven't actually seen Miss Donovan in a little while. Look, anyway, the point is with my spell, we can summon the Sorcerer. With your potion, we can vanquish him, and that kinda fixes the whole Drake thing, yeah?"

"Maybe. But if that doesn't work, we need a plan B." Piper said. "We've gotta stop Drake somehow."

"Well, I guess it can't hurt."

"Exactly. The last thing we need is another news report like that one."

"Right."

"Hey Paige, have you seen Angel?" Buffy asked. "Was he at Magic School?"

"No. Why?"

"He's not here. And he hasn't been here for a while."

"Maybe he's upstairs with the kids."

Buffy shook her head and held up the baby monitor. "Nope. I'd hear him."

"Huh. Want me to scry for him while I'm making that spell?"

"No. That's ok. He's probably at the club. He mentioned something about fixing some decorations and working for Rex." Buffy shrugged.

Piper and Paige were sitting down at the circular table in the center of the attic while Buffy paced in front of the windows. There were five lit candles placed around the edges of the table and Paige read the spell for the third time. "Sorcerer of darkness, demon of fright, I call you now into my sight." They waited, but again, nothing happened. "Maybe I can just try it again."

"No, Paige. You've tried three times." Piper said. "It's not working. He must be protecting himself somehow."

"I could have copied it down wrong."

"Paige, it's not your first day as a witch, you know." Buffy said.

"We're running out of options." Piper said, standing up. "You saw the news. I think it's time we go to plan B."

"I think getting rid of him would be a big mistake." Paige said.

"So would letting an innocent die. Look, if you're not gonna trust yourself, at least trust me. Because it's certainly not my first day."

Next to Buffy, an Astral Miss Donovan appeared, causing Buffy to yelp slightly. "Terribly sorry, Buffy!"

"Miss Donovan. Why are you astral projecting?" Paige asked.

"Please, I don't have time. The Sorcerer took me prisoner."

"What?" Buffy asked.

"I swear, I was just tryin' to check out Drake, and, you know, it turns out he's not so bad. It was the Sorcerer that I should have been worried about."

"It's ok." Paige said. "We know all about it. Don't panic. Because now that we know where you are, we could scry for you, and get you out of there, and just vanquish him."

"Oh, thank you. Now I gotta go."

"Looks like Drake just got a reprieve." Piper said.

Piper was scrying in the conservatory while Buffy paced and talked with Leo and Paige. "Where could he be?" Buffy asked. "I called the club, but no one picked up."

"Maybe he's planning a Valentine's Day surprise." Paige said.

"No, I would know. He's not very good at keeping things secret."

"I can scry for him when Piper's done."

"Would you? I can't think of where he could've gone to."

"Sure." Paige hugged Buffy tightly. "Don't worry. We'll find him. If Piper would hurry up."

"Besides, I don't think Darryl can hold off the cops any longer." Leo said. "You're running out of time."

"What would you like me to do about that?" Piper asked. "The crystal's not dropping."

"This isn't right, you guys. We're being played." Paige said.

"Come on, Paige. You're not gonna do any of us any good by waffling now."

"I'm not waffling. Look. Fine. I admit, ok, I've been out of it since the whole thing with the Avatars and with Kyle. But I can't keep beating myself up over the mistakes that we've made. I have to move on. I think we all do."

"I'm not sure it's that easy."

"Maybe it's not. But I have to try, right? I mean, Drake said that I have to start trusting my instincts again. Otherwise, I'm not gonna be able to help him or Miss Donovan or anybody."

"So what are your instincts telling you now?" Buffy asked.

"That Miss Donovan's just a distraction. Otherwise, we would have found her by now."

"So you think the sorcerer is after Drake?"

"He wants his powers, doesn't he? Drake's bound to use those at some point or another."

Things suddenly got loud on the TV and the live news report on the television showed the glass exploding outward and John Norman falling out of the window hanging on to the ledge by his fingertips. "Looks like your instincts were right." Leo said.

"Just wish I'd trusted them sooner." Paige said.

"Come on." Buffy grabbed Piper and Paige and Paige orbed them to the office. They were just in time to see Drake being sucked into purgatory by the flames of hell.

The Sorcerer looked at Buffy, Piper, and Paige. "Well, what are you waiting for? Come and get me." The Sorcerer shimmered out.


	89. Chapter 89

Chapter 89

"This was the scene of chaos just minutes ago when the man known as Robin Hood detonated what appears to have been a homemade bomb. Fortunately, billionaire John Norman escaped injury with the aid of local advice columnist Phoebe Halliwell. As you can see behind me…."

Leo turned away from the TV when Buffy, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe orbed into the conservatory. "Piper, we don't have a choice. We have to go after the sorcerer." Phoebe said.

"I realize that." Piper said. "But he knows we're coming. He'll set a trap for us."

"What happened? You said Drake was missing." Leo said.

Paige walked past Leo and headed over to the couch. "No, actually. We lost him."

"But if we vanquish the Sorcerer, then we should be able to reverse the magic and get Drake out of purgatory." Buffy said.

Paige took the scrying crystal. "Well, if we can use the vanquishing spell I wrote to get rid of Drake, then it should work on getting rid of the Sorcerer."

"How can you be sure that it's gonna work?" Piper asked.

"Because I trust my gut. It helped us find the Sorcerer, right?"

"And it was right about Drake." Phoebe said. "He is an innocent. We have to save him. Otherwise, everything he's done will have been for naught."

"For naught?" Buffy asked.

"The point is: we have to save Drake."

"I don't know." Piper said. "I think Drake's caused enough trouble for one day."

"I'll say." Leo said."We'll be lucky if he doesn't trigger Sheridan's memory."

"Not to mention Prince John and all the magic he saw."

"Ok, John won't remember a thing and we can worry about Sheridan tomorrow." Phoebe said.

"You worry tomorrow. I'll worry today."

The scrying crystal hit the map. "Found Miss Donovan." Paige said. "Probably the Sorcerer, too."

"See?" Piper asked. "Wasn't that a little too easy? I'm telling you, it's a trap."

"Maybe we should start thinking more like Robin Hood." Buffy said.

"Excuse me?"

Buffy sat in the conservatory with the kids and Leo and scryed for Angel. Paige, Piper, and Phoebe had gone to save Miss Donovan and Drake. Buffy had opted to stay and look for Angel. He'd been missing nearly all day now.

Leo walked up behind her. "Any luck?"

"Nothing." Buffy sighed and set down the crystal. "I don't understand. Maybe something happened to him."

"Could be. But if he was taken by someone or something, he's being protected. Otherwise the scrying would work."

Buffy put her head down in her arms. "God, this is horrible!"

Leo put his hand on Buffy's shoulder. "We'll find him, Buffy."

"What if someone's torturing him or worse! What if someone's killed him and I can't feel it because they're blocking him from me?"

"No. If he was dead, you would know it. You would feel it. Even if someone's blocking him magically."

Buffy lifted her head and wiped away the tears. "Leo, I can't lose him again."

"I know. We'll find him."

Orbing sounded from the main hall and Buffy and Leo stood up to greet Paige, Piper, and Phoebe. To their surprise, it was Angel. "Oh my god!" Buffy jumped in his arms and held him tightly. "Where have you been? I've been so worried."

"We need to talk." Angel said.

"What's wrong?"

Angel glanced at Leo and then led them into the conservatory. "Sit down. Both of you."

"What's going on?" Leo asked.

Angel paced in front of them. "I've been with the Elders all day."

"What? Why?" Buffy asked.

"They wanted to talk to me about Leo's…. suspension…. And what that meant for the Slayer and the Charmed Ones."

"And?" Leo asked wearily.

Angel orbed out and orbed back in behind Buffy and Leo. "They made me a Whitelighter."

"What!" Buffy shot to her feet. "No. This can't happen."

"It's too late."

"Why? Why did they make you a Whitelighter?"

"It was their only option. You girls don't take kindly to new people, especially new Whitelighters, and you're going to need one. I fit the bill. I'm close to you girls and I'm dead and I've done a lot of good deeds. Besides…. I technically owed them."

"Owed them how?"

"They brought me back from the dead, Buffy. Did you really think they wouldn't call on me for something like this one day?"

"This is crazy. We've got Leo."

"But you might not once they come down with their judgment." Leo said.

"Will it really be that bad?"

"They could recycle me."

"Don't worry, Buffy." Angel said, walking over to her and taking her hands. "You guys are my only charges. They won't give me any others."

"Sure, until they decide to give you others." Buffy retorted.

"They won't. They promised."

"In case you haven't noticed, they're not the greatest promise keepers."

Angel shrugged. "We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Uh, what did we miss?" Paige asked. Leo, Buffy, and Angel turned to find the sisters and Drake standing in the sitting room.

"Where have you been?" Piper asked Angel.

"Angel's a Whitelighter now." Buffy said bitterly.

"What!" Phoebe cried.

"How?" Paige asked.

"When?" Piper asked.

"Today." Angel said. "The Elders orbed me up there while I was alone at the club and explained everything to me."

"Define everything." Paige said.

"Since Leo's on suspension and there's a possibility that he'll be…. recycled…. The Elders thought it would be smart to make me yours and Buffy's Whitelighter."

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Phoebe agreed. "Why not send someone else?"

"Because you guys generally rebel when it's a new person." Angel said. "They thought this would be much easier on all of us if I were your Whitelighter."

"Tell them to take it back." Piper said. "I don't want Buffy to go through what Leo and I went through."

"It's ok, Piper. You four are my only charges and we're not forbidden to get married or anything else."

"Yeah, till they decide to give you more when it's convenient to them."

"They won't."

"You don't know that." Phoebe said.

"Granted. But we'll deal with it _if_ it happens."

Piper sighed and looked at Leo. "This doesn't bode well for you."

"It's just a precautionary." Leo said.  
"No! This is…. This isn't 'just a precautionary', Leo. They're replacing you!"

"We don't know that for sure."

"This isn't proof enough for you?"

"No." Piper sighed and turned away from everyone, going upstairs. "Piper." Leo went after her.

Phoebe walked over to Buffy and hugged her tightly. "Are you ok?"

"I don't know." Buffy said.

"I promise you, Buffy." Angel said. "I will not take on any other charges except for you four. I won't let them go back on their word. Hey, look on the bright side."

"What bright side?"

"I have a heartbeat now." Angel smiled at her and Buffy's heart melted. She wrapped her arms around him and held him tightly.

Wyatt was sitting on Buffy's lap with Alex and the three of them were looking through a book. Buffy was sitting on the chair in Piper's room watching Leo and Piper pack their suitcases.

"Uh…. rain gear for the kids?" Piper asked.

"Yes." Leo said.

"Camera and film?"

"Of course."

Piper grabbed the Italitan Dictionary and looked through it. "Extra room for my…. Pattini?"

"Pattini?"

"Shoes, Leo." Buffy said. "It's not a vacation in Italy if you don't have new shoes." Leo chuckled slightly, but it was obvious he wasn't into this vacation.

"What's the matter?" Piper asked.

"I don't know. I guess I still don't think this is such a good idea." Leo said.

"Why not? In Hong Kong, we'll buy you some suits or bootleg DVDs or something."

"It's not the shopping. It's this whole…. World Vacation thing. I just think we should stay here and wait for the Elders' decision on me."

"Absolutely not. That's precisely why we should be going." Piper put her jacket on. "Look, we're all together. We deserve a vacation. And we're not gonna sit around and wait for the other pattini to drop, so that's that. We're going."

"But what about the travel and the cost?"

"Oh, for god's sakes, Leo. We're orbing."

"Ok, well, uh, what about Phoebe and Paige…. And Buffy and Angel?"

"What about them?"

"Well, they made us this big send-off dinner last night…."

"Oh, please. They ordered pizza."

"Right. And we're not helping with the cleanup."

"Wow. If that's the best you got, you really do need a vacation." Buffy said.

"But…."

"Look, we just remade the world. I think we can handle the kitchen." Leo picked Wyatt and Alex up out of Buffy's lap. "Thanks for taking Alex too. I don't think she could stand being apart from Wyatt for that long."

"Anytime." Piper picked up the suitcases and looked at Leo. "Now, unless you have any more objections…. Eh! Wyatt, venite qui. Leaning Tower of Pisa, here we come." She turned and smiled at Leo as he chuckled helplessly and orbed them all out of the room.

Angel walked in just after they were gone. "Are they gone?"

"You just missed them." Buffy said.

"Oh, I wanted to give Alex Mr. Gordo."

"She's got Wyatt. She'll be fine. And she won't be bored with everything Piper has planned."

"Are you ok with it?"

Buffy sighed. "Yeah. I wish we could've gone too."

"I know." Angel pulled Buffy to him. "I promised to run the club for Piper and you've got to help Paige and Phoebe if anything happens."

"I know."

"Besides," Angel lowered his hands to Buffy's thighs and lifted her up. "We've got a honeymoon to get to next week."

"All right you two, cut it out." Paige said as she walked past. "We've got dishes to do."

Buffy and Angel sighed and followed Paige down to the kitchen.

Phoebe was walking around the room talking on the phone. "I know, but at least why can't we just do the interview here? You know, kinda like an 'Ask Phoebe at home' thing. Oh, yeah, the place looks great! Yeah, call them. I'll hold on."

"That sounds exciting." Paige said as she got to work.

"I guess."

"What do you mean?" Buffy asked. "You have Cosmo profiling you. That would be great any time."

"I know. But I still wanna make the most out of my day."

"Phoebs, you asked to meet Paige here at 8:22. That's not making the most of your day. That's some sort of weird OCD thing. What's going on?"

"I don't know. Maybe meeting Drake and realizing what little time he has left has made me want to make the most of the time I have left? You know, time's a-wasting."

"Yeah, well, at least you're not wasting all your time at Magic School." Paige grumped.

Before anyone could comment, the doorbell rang. "I'll get it." Buffy said, abandoning the dishes happily.

Phoebe followed her out, talking on the phone again. "Yeah, Elise, I'm still here. Oh, they can move it? That's perfect. Just as long as the shoot's over by 3:00, cause I'm speaking at city college. I'll be there in like twenty-five minutes."

"You're a machine." Buffy said, going to open the door.

"Every moment counts. Can you do me a favor and help me get this place cleaned up by two?" Buffy didn't answer her. She just opened the door and found Darryl there. "Hey, Darryl, how you doing? Gotta go." Phoebe grabbed her coat.

"Hey, hold on a second. I need your help. Hi, Buffy. Angel. Paige." Darryl said.

"I was afraid you were gonna say that."

"What's the matter?" Angel asked.

"I'm not sure," Darryl said. "But I've been around you guys long enough to know when something is not right."

"What do you mean, something magically wrong?" Paige asked.

"I don't know what else it can be."

"Listen, I'm on the clock, so you gotta speed this up a little." Phoebe said.

"Phoebe!" Buffy scolded.

"Ok, my friend Mike…. my mentor, actually. He's the one that brought me into the force. I think that…. he might be, uh…. you know, possessed, maybe. He's not crazy. I don't care what anybody says. Mike would not hurt a fly."

"Whoa, whoa, wait." Angel said. "Back up to the possessed thing, please."

"Well, since Mike retired, he's been working at this jewelry store as security on Market, and lately, he's been having these, uh…. episodes."

"What kind of episodes?" Buffy asked.

"Well, they've been happening more and more frequently lately until yesterday when he just snapped. He started waving his gun around, talking about he's gonna die in some terrible fire at Cabaret Fantome."

"I haven't heard of that place."

"Look…. I haven't asked you guys for help like this before."

"Ok. Well, if I move my staff meeting to 11:00 and my 1:00 to 1:30, I should be able to help you right now. So I will check the archives for the club, you guys go with Darryl and check out this Mike guy, and we'll meet back here at, like, I don't know…. 1:10." Phoebe turned and left the house.

Darryl looked at Paige, but she just shrugged. He looked at Buffy. "She's trying to make the most of her life or something like that." Buffy said, grabbing her coat. "Come on. Let's go see about your friend."


	90. Chapter 90

Chapter 90

Mike was moaning loudly as the Orderly held down his hands to restrain him to the bed. "I need…. I need somebody to listen to me! I don't have much time! You understand? I don't have much time!" Mike cried as he sobbed. His arms and legs were strapped to the bed finally and the orderly left the room, walking past Darryl, Buffy, Angel, and Paige standing just outside.

"You see what I mean?" Darryl asked.

"Doesn't seem demonic." Paige said.

"Not demonic? I'm telling you, he doesn't know who I am. He acts like he doesn't even know who he is. He just mostly seems afraid and panicky."

"It's ok, Darryl." Buffy said. "We'll figure this out." She turned and walked into the room. "Hi, Mike. I, uh…."

Mike turned and looked at her. "Marie!"

"No, I'm Buffy. Who's Marie?"

"My fiancée. She's trapped, too."

"Trapped where?"

"At the club with everybody else."

"Cabaret Fantome?"

"Yes! Yes, you know it? You believe me?"

"Just relax, Mike." Darryl said.

"No! My name is George. I keep telling you that. We're all gonna die. Don't you understand that? Huh?" Mike lunged toward Buffy as far as the restraints would allow him. Everyone but Buffy and Angel flinched back.

"If that's not possession, what is it?" Darryl asked.

"I think you're right." Angel said. "But it's not demonic. I'll take you girls to Magic School and we'll see what Phoebe's dug up on this Cabaret."

"You'll take them?" Darryl asked.

"Oh, you have been out of the loop." Paige said.

"Angel's a Whitelighter now." Buffy said. "The Elders made him one since Leo's on suspension and he 'fit the bill'."

"Come on." Angel took Paige and Buffy's hands and orbed them out.

THE DAILY CLARION newspaper, dated Friday, November 17, 1899 with the headline "DIABOLICAL DEATH AT CLUB FANTOME" was laid out on the table in the Great Hall at Magic School. "'Cabaret Fantome Deadly Fire.'" Phoebe read. "Maybe Darryl's friend isn't so crazy after all. It seems that the Count's club was the biggest, most corrupt in the city…. Right until it burned down, killing everyone inside."

"Ok, but why would the Count set the fire in the club only to die in it himself?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. Maybe he couldn't get out fast enough?"

"Maybe we should talk to George." Paige said.

"George. Who's George?"

"If I'm right, he's somebody who died in the fire. I think he's a spirit that's possessed Mike, and he's crying out for help."

"Yeah, why would he need help? The fire happened over a hundred years ago."

"Help from the pain of being a lost soul, perhaps?" Drake said from behind them. They all turned to see him walking into the Great Hall carrying a big book. "Paige asked me to do a little research in between classes." He dropped the book on the table near Phoebe.

"'Possessions, confessions and ghostly obsessions. A demon's guide to everything magical.'" Phoebe read.

"Yeah. I used to sell these things lair to lair. Talk about a tough item to move…."

"'Lost souls are spirits of the dead unable to move on because of spiritual confusion'?" Buffy read.

"That's when souls die a violent death together…. the fires of Gomorrah, the flood, Pompeii…." The open book on the table started to rattle and shake. "I would step back. Book likes to show off a little…. don't you?" A piece of rope with a knot in the middle stretched out from the center of the book's open page.

"What the hell?" Paige said.

The rope began to bob up and down as if in a tug of war with itself. Drake nodded and said, "Don't be afraid. It's simply illustrating a point that when souls die at once, the good ones can't move on because the bad ones are holding them back and vice versa. They're lost. They're stuck in their respective afterlives, unaware of their tragic fate. It's…. really sad, actually." The rope retracted back into the book and the book closed shut.

"Ok, but if they're unaware, how are we supposed to help George?" Phoebe asked.

"We can't. Unless we enter his world and find out which one of those bad souls is holding him back." Drake looked at Buffy and Angel. "Kinda like you two did."

"Excuse me?"

"We…. Sort of took on the roles of two lost souls a long time ago." Angel said. "Buffy ended up shooting me, but since I was a vampire, the bullet didn't kill me and the souls got to act out what needed to be acted out and they…. Moved on."

"So, you want us to act out the parts of George and Marie?" Phoebe asked Drake.

"Well, no." Drake said. "In this case, the cabaret doesn't exist anymore and therefore, their story can't be acted out. So…. the spell would get us there, but I'm not gonna tell you what it is unless you take me."

"Wait…. us?"

"Come on. How many chances do we have to go back to the 1890s?"

"Yeah, it's not going to the 1890s that's the problem." Paige said. "It's getting back from the 1890s."

"Don't you worry there, little lady. The spell will only keep us with the souls until the moment they become lost. In this case, it's when the fire begins."

"Ok, well, how do we free George?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. We wing it."

"Uh, ok. I don't know." Paige said. "I'm gonna go check out some other things." She turned and walked out.

"Well, you don't have to go." Drake turned back to Phoebe. "But you do."

"I can't. I have an interview today." Phoebe argued.

"Oh, come on. Interview schminterview. How does an interview weigh in against the fate of an innocent? And if we are to help, then your premonition skills with the enhancement of your lovely twin could prove essential…. and it is the next logical step in our whirlwind romance."

"What whirlwind romance?"

"The one we'd be having if we had time. Come on, I don't have long to live. I'm dying here. A soul needs your help. So what do you say?"

Phoebe sighed and looked at Buffy.

Paige pulled up in Piper's Jeep and parked by a vacant lot. Angel was in the front seat and Buffy, Phoebe, and Drake were in the backseat. "Are you sure this is the place?" Paige asked.

"It says here it's where the cabaret used to be." Phoebe said.

"A vacant lot after a hundred and six years?"

"It's probably haunted. Or better yet, cursed. Cool. Let's go." Drake said.

"Is there a special reason we can't do this from home?"

"Yeah, the closer we are to where the souls that were lost, the better chance we have of finding the exact one we're looking for." Phoebe took out her PDA to check her schedule, but Drake took the PDA from her. "Phoebe, living isn't about tasks. It's about living." He snapped his fingers and a parchment paper with the spell on it appeared.

"So Paige, you'll make sure Elise bumps my interview two hours?" Phoebe asked.

"I'm all over it." Paige said.

"And we will be back before two hours?"

"Yeah. We'll return just when the fire begins." Drake said. "Which, based on what you said about George, seems imminent. Ready?"

"And willing." Buffy said.

"Free our souls from their shells, see where the lost spirits dwell long enough to find their pain," He tossed the parchment aside as he finished the spell. "Quick enough to return again." Immediately, Buffy, Phoebe, Angel, and Drake slumped back against their seats as their souls headed back to the 1890s. Luckily, Angel was no longer a vampire, so Angelus wouldn't be free to terrorize anyone while Angel's soul was gone.

The four of them magically appeared at the doorway of the Cabaret. Phoebe was dressed in a red period dress and feathers, Buffy was in a cerulean blue period dress, while Angel and Drake were wearing period tuxes.

"Oh, my…." Phoebe said. She giggled slightly at Buffy's hair. "Oh…."

"Yours is just as old-timey." Buffy shot back. They looked around at the cabaret where people were drinking and talking while the piano played in the background. "This is…."

"Fantastic." Drake said.

"You look stunning." Angel said to Buffy.

"Why, thank you." Buffy laughed. "You don't look so bad yourself."

"Why, thank you very much." Angel offered her his arm and the two took the stairs down into the cabaret. Drake and Phoebe laughed and followed their lead.

"So…. what do we do now?" Phoebe asked.

"We mingle." Drake said.

Count Roget, who was sitting at a table with a couple of women, saw them enter. He immediately excused himself and stood up. "Ladies, please." The ladies left. "Toulouse, who the hell is that?"

Toulouse turned to see who the Count was talking about. "Um…. never seen 'em before, boss."

"Nor have I. Find out who they are."

Toulouse stepped away from them. Drake's eyes met the Count's from across the room. Buffy and Phoebe turned around to look at the Count as Angel led them across the room. "So all of these people are stuck in some, like, ghostly limbo as if the fire never happened?" Buffy asked.

"It happened, all right, otherwise…. they wouldn't be here." Drake said. At that moment, a woman walked by and Drake watched her appreciatively.

"All right, keep your eyes in your socket, buddy." Phoebe said. "We're here for George, remember?"

"That doesn't mean we can't enjoy ourselves. Come on, it's 1899. You may not remember, but, boy, I do."

"I do too." Angel said. "The Gilded Age. It was a time when everyone's life couldn't possibly get any better. There was culture, science, there was art, there was peace and romance. Everything was a celebration. Unless you were me, then it was misery."

"Why misery?" Phoebe asked.

"I'd gotten my soul back only the year before."

"Oh." Phoebe looked around. "So, this is supposed to be a celebration? Everyone's dead, just like…."

"George! George!" They turned and watched as Marie walked over to the Fortune Teller's table. "What did you do to him?"

"I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." The fortune teller said.

"Don't lie to me. I saw him over here talking to you, and now he's gone."

"What can I say? He likes my cards. Still, I don't know where he is." A man sat down at her table. "Now, if you will excuse me…."

Marie turned and stormed away from the Fortune Teller's table. Phoebe stopped her. "Excuse me. I couldn't help but overhearing. Do you know George?"

"Who are you?" Marie asked.

"Uh…."

"That doesn't matter." Buffy said quickly. "But what does matter is that George came to us for help. About the fire."

"What fire? What are you talking about? I don't have time for this." Marie stormed off.

"Wait…. she doesn't know about the fire either?" Phoebe asked.

"That's because it hasn't happened yet." Angel said. "Not as far as she's concerned…. as far as they're all concerned."

"Huh?"

"Don't you see?" Drake said. "They're doomed to repeat the last few hours over and over again in a never-ending loop."

"Oh, that's just terrible. What could possibly cause such a thing?"

"What…. or who?" Buffy said, moving her head towards Count Roget who was staring at them and talking to another man. The man walked away and the Count motioned them over. "So, I suppose we need to talk to that guy."

"Let's go." Drake took the lead and they headed over. Champagne was given to the girls and cigars were handed to Drake and Angel.

"Please, sit." The Count said. "The show is about to begin."

"What show?" Buffy asked.

A fan dancer stepped out on the stage and whispered something to the piano player. "Hey! A fan dance." Angel said. "I love a fan dance."

"Me too!" Drake said. "Wait'll you see this!" Drake turned to look at Phoebe, but she and Buffy rolled their eyes at their men. "Yeah…."

"Never mind." Angel said.

"Yes, it really is quite a sight." The Count said. "A beautiful woman on stage, nothing between her and the audience except two ostrich plume fans. The allure of the dance is to watch how she moves with the fans…. showing only what she wants, not an inch more."

"Is the dance ever performed by a man?" Phoebe asked.

"So tell me, my new friends, how exactly do you know George?"

"What makes you think that we do?" All four of them responded.

"Well, I saw you talking to his fiancée Marie. She seems terribly distraught, doesn't she?"

"She doesn't know what happened to him." Phoebe said.

"Do you?" Angel asked.

"I've been concerned about him recently. Keeping an eye on him, you know. He is my best barkeep, after all."

"And you don't know what happened?" Buffy asked.

"I wish I did. So…. how did you come to learn about Cabaret Fantome?"

"Word gets out." Angel said.

"Hard to keep a place like this hidden forever." Drake said.

"Do you like the cigars?" The Count asked.

"Uh, quite." Angel nodded his agreement to Drake's statement.

"They're hand-rolled in Havana and shipped to my dealer, Philippe, special. He's right across the street, actually. Would you like to take in the night air, pay him a visit? He loves new customers."

"Sure." Phoebe said. "Care to join us?"

"Sadly…. I'm unable to leave the club."

"And why's that?" Buffy asked.

"Because, as they say…." The Count glanced at the wall clock reading 11:58. "The show must go on, right?" As if on cue, the background piano music stopped playing and Count Roget put his drink down.

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host, Count Roget!" The piano player shouted. The audience applauded lightly and a small musical snippet was played as the Count got to his feet.

"Feel free to enjoy the show from here. It's a once-in-a-lifetime experience."

"We're dyin' to see it." Buffy said as the Count left them and walked over to Toulouse.

He stood up and walked on stage. The Count looked up at the club window which was glowing red with fire burning just behind it. The window exploded inward and the audience screamed. Other windows in the club started exploding inward.

"Right on time!" Phoebe said, pointing at the clock showing midnight.

The people in the club ran around screaming. The window above the Fortune Teller's table exploded inwards. There were more explosions and the door near Inez the Fortune Teller exploded, throwing her against the wall. Club goers screamed and ran toward the exits. Drake looked up and saw the Count standing in the middle of the stage watching the chaos around him.

"Oh, my god! Could've waited till after the show. Come on. We gotta get to the spot." Drake grabbed Phoebe, trusting Buffy and Angel's to follow them, and pulled her up as they hurried to get to their exit spot.

Someone reached the door and he grabbed the grating to open it, but it held firm, sealing him inside. Additional bars appeared to keep the door closed shut. More people ran toward the exits, but the doors magically closed with bars running through them, sealing them inside. A puff of fire came through the grating to push the man away. The man let go and backed up to the middle of the room. The hanging chandelier above him fell to the ground near his head.

Burning wood beams from the roof collapsed on the club goers. A woman was trapped on the balcony where fire exploded out through the opening and threw her backward, up and off the balcony. She fell to the ground below with a hard thud. People screamed and ran trying to get out. Through it all, there was a lone voice calling out for another.

"George! George?" Marie called. "George!"

"We have to help her." Phoebe said. Drake stopped and turned to see Marie standing in the middle of the room looking for George.

"George, where are you?"

"We can't." Drake said. "We stay, we burn just like everyone else. Don't worry. She'll be back tomorrow."

They headed for the exit and glowed white as their spirits returned to their bodies in the present. They gasped and sat up, realizing they were in the conservatory back at the Manor. "Guys?" Paige asked.

"You all right?" Piper asked.

"I don't know." Phoebe said.


	91. Chapter 91

Chapter 91

Buffy and Phoebe finished telling the story to Leo, Piper, and Paige. Phoebe was standing while Angel and Drake sat on the couch. Buffy sat down in the chair to the left of the couch as she said, "And that's when the good souls tried to escape, but couldn't."

"Couldn't?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Angel said. "All the exits were magically sealed."

"At least nobody knows they're gonna relive it." Leo said.

"Oh, the Count definitely knew." Phoebe said. "And he just stood there watching everybody burn."

"You think he's a demon?" Paige asked.

"No." Buffy said. "If he was, he wouldn't be reliving it."

"Maybe he made a deal with a demon." Drake said. "If he's the one bad soul who's trying to hold everyone back, he'd do anything to keep from moving on."

"Doesn't seem like much of a deal, though. He's stuck as well." Piper said.

"Yeah, anything's better than purgatory, trust me. It's….." Drake trailed off with a laugh.

"Besides, he's probably trying to buy time to find another way out." Angel said.

"Ok." Buffy said. "So how do we help George and the other souls move on?"

"First you gotta find a way to separate their souls from the Count's." Leo said.

"Yeah, but you find whomever he made the deal with and get him to break it." Piper said.

"You think that demon's still around?" Paige asked.

"Well, this one is."

"Yeah, but not for long." Drake said. "Besides, that's not really the point. Enough about me." He looked at Phoebe. "What do you think of me?"

Piper looked at Leo. "Let's go check the book. Andiamo." She turned and left the room. Leo picked up the baby monitor off the table and followed her out.

"Ciao, ciao." Drake called.

Phoebe sat down next to Drake. "So maybe we should go talk to George and see if he remembers what the demon looks like."

Paige sat down in the other chair and spread her arms out trying to get Phoebe's attention. "Hello. Hello! Magazine. Interview. Cosmo. Can't flake twice."

"Well, I think this is a little bit more important than Cosmo, don't you?"

"Paige, there's a lot more to life than work." Drake said. "There's…. adventure."

"Really? I wouldn't know." Paige said.

"Hey, I have an idea." Buffy said. "Why don't you do it?"

"What?"

"Be Phoebe. You can glamour. You've done it before."

"Good idea!" Phoebe said. "Paige, it'll give you a little taste of life outside Magic School. And besides, if anyone knows me as well as I know me, it's you…. And Buffy, but she's coming with us. So…. Just fake it."

"Why don't I just go talk to George?" Paige asked.

"Because if we have to go back to the cabaret afterwards, the Count is expecting Phoebe." Drake said. "Feathers and all." They stood up and Buffy and Angel followed suit.

"Feathers?"

"Don't ask." Phoebe said.

Darryl led Phoebe, Buffy, Angel, and Drake through the hallway to Mike's room. "The doctors are saying he's schizophrenic or something. First he's George, then he's back to being Mike again, and now he's George."

"That must be who we saw fade back into the club before we left." Buffy said.

"Perhaps the fire starting is what pulled George's soul back into the time loop." Drake said.

"Which means he knows what's really going on." Phoebe said.

"But can only escape long enough to cry for help." Angel said.

"What are you four talking about?" Darryl asked.

"The fire that your friend is screaming about is real." Buffy said.

"Very real." Phoebe said.

Drake turned around and looked over across the hall at Mike writhing in bed in his room and moaning. "Get out of here! Help me! Oh, the fire!"

"Oh! It's how poor George died." Drake said.

"Please, somebody listen!"

"The only way he knows how to cry for help is to possess your friend." Buffy said.

"But why? Why Mike?" Darryl asked.

"Proximity?" Angel suggested.

"I need to get outta here!" Mike said.

"You ready?" Phoebe asked.

"No." Drake said.

"Let's go." Buffy said.

"Ok."

The orderly was inside the room tending to Mike as he writhed and shouted on the bed. He turned and left as they entered the room with Darryl. "Oh, the fire! It's coming back! Oh! I need somebody to believe me!"

"We believe you. We do, George." Buffy said gently.

Mike turned and looked at them. "George? Then you do believe me?"

"Yes."

"We also saw Marie just as we…. left." Drake said.

"Well, you…. you can go…. in and out without getting burned?" George asked. "How?"

"Well, you kinda have to die first." Angel said.

"And we can go back in to free you and everybody else, but we're gonna need your help." Phoebe said.

"Anything! Anything, anything." George cried.

"What can you tell us about the Count?" Buffy asked.

"He's the one who did this! He cursed everybody to save himself."

"Yeah, we know." Drake said. "Maybe he was talking to someone else…."

"Did you see him talk to anybody else, anyone unusual that night?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, yes!" George said."Every night before the show, he sits with this…. frightening looking man at the center table. And then the Count, he signs something."

"That could be the deal." Angel said.

"And they might still be there." Buffy said.

"Let's go." Drake said. "Um…. this may be a silly question. Is there anything we can do to make you more comfortable?"

"Save Marie." George said.

Angel orbed Buffy, Phoebe, and Drake into the attic. Piper and Leo were already there going through the Book. "Hi!" Phoebe said. "Ok! According to Mike…."

"George." Drake corrected.

"Whatever. There was, in fact, a demon in the club that night who…."

"We vanquished five years ago." Piper said.

"What? Are you serious?" Buffy asked.

"'Fraid so."

"And according to the Book, there aren't any other demons who could have made the deal, either." Leo said.

"Well, how do we get them to unmake it?" Phoebe asked.

"We go back." Drake and Angel said.

"No! What? No!" Piper said.

"No, I think they're right." Buffy said. "It's the only way we'll be able to find the demon."

"But you said yourself you barely made it out of there alive last time. Besides, you don't even know what he looks like."

"Well, George told us where to find him." Phoebe said.

"It's simple." Drake said. "We go back. I talk to him, demon to demon, talon to talon, claw to claw, make him unmake the deal."

"And then, hopefully, the souls will be released." Buffy said.

"Yes."

"Ok. Let's do it!" Phoebe said.

Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Drake squeezed onto the couch. "And Drake, this time? No messing around, ok?" Buffy said. "We get in, we find him, we get out."

"We might wanna stay for the show this time." Drake said.

"Wait…. what are we supposed to do?" Piper asked.

"What you always do." Phoebe said.

"Worry." Buffy finished.

Drake snapped his fingers and the piece of parchment appeared. He read the spell and they passed out. Their souls ended up right back where they started. Except this time, the piano player played on stage.

"We're late." Phoebe said. The wall clock read 11:58 as they hurried down the stairs.

"Uh, no, we're not. Let's go. Let's go." Drake said.

"There's nobody at that center table." Angel said.

"No, your demon is long gone." The Count said at the bottom of the stairs. "In fact, he left 106 years ago, right after we made the deal…. long before the fire. You know…." The Count's voice changed into George's voice. "The fire! It's coming back! You gotta believe me! Please!" In the corner, George and Marie sat at a table. Toulouse stood near them holding a gun on them. George surged to his feet, but Toulouse sat back down.

"You've got to help me and Marie!" The Count changed his voice back. "Or something like that."

"Oh, my god. That was you in Mike's body." Phoebe said. "You tricked us!"

Buffy took a threatening step toward the Count, but Drake held her back. "Slow down."

"Ladies and gentlemen, please welcome your host, Count Roget!" The piano player called.

The Count didn't move. "I regret to inform you that tonight's fan dance is going to be cancelled." He took out a small gun and pointed it at Drake. Right on cue, the windows in the cabaret started exploding inward. People screamed and the window near the fortune teller exploded, pushing Inez up against the wall.

The Count looked at the wall clock that now read 12:00. The doors to the cabaret closed shut and people continued to scream and run around the place. Men ran up to the exit grating and found themselves locked inside. A man laying on the floor rolled over just as the chandelier crashed to the ground near his head. The woman at the top of the stairs was thrown as an explosion flared through the entrance and she fell off the balcony.

"You really think that gun's gonna do anything?" Phoebe asked.

"Indeed." The Count said. "If you can burn, you can bleed." He shot Drake in the chest. Drake fell backward and Phoebe kneeled down to help him as the Count headed for the exit position at the top of the stairs. "You really shouldn't bother. You'll all die soon enough. Since your friend George has found a temporary way out, I now have found my permanent way out." He took the position and vanished out of the burning cabaret as burning wood beams from the roof collapsed on the club goers as the fire continued to burn.

"Guys, go. Come on! I'm going to die anyway." Drake said.

"Not like this." Phoebe said. "If George can get out, we can, too. We just have to think about this. We have to think about it."

"The fortune teller." Angel said, pointing at the woman's crystal ball.

"Ok. Good." Buffy said. They hurried over to the Fortune Teller's table. Drake sat at the table and Phoebe opened the Fortune Teller's book, stopping at Chapter 5.

"Perfect! Perfect! 'Escape from the ordinary.' Uh…. five card spread." Phoebe picked up the Tarot cards and started flipping the cards over.

"Listen, odds are…. The Count, he's possessed my body, right?" Drake said. "And until he's evicted, I got nowhere to go. Only you guys can get out into your bodies. Even though I'm into your body, Phoebe, I still can't get out."

"We'll come back for you."

"Listen, if he puts up too good of a fight, just vanquish my sorry ass. I don't care."

"Ok!"

"But only as a last resort."

"Ok!" Phoebe read the spell. "Vita brevis abraxis!"

Phoebe, Buffy, and Angel vanished in a puff of white smoke and woke up in the attic. "Phoebe? Buffy?" Piper asked.

"Where's the Count?" Buffy asked.

"Wait a minute. What's my middle name?"

"Surly." Phoebe and Buffy said, flashing Piper a mischievous smile.

"Ha! That's my girls."

"Where's Drake's body?" Buffy asked.

"We don't know."

"We…. can't scry for him." Leo said. "But we're thinking maybe he's in a pub or a restaurant."

"Or a tobacco shop." Angel said. "I know where to find him."

Count Roget in Drake's body backed away from a barking dog on a leash. The dog's owners were out for a walk. Count Roget backed up off the sidewalk onto the street where he was nearly run over by a passing motorcycle. "What kind of terrible world is this?"

"One you'll be leaving soon." Piper said.

The Count looked up and saw Buffy, Piper, Angel, Phoebe, and Leo turning the corner. "No. They'll take me away!"

"Go to hell!" Phoebe threw the potions at him. There was a white puff of smoke and Drake's body glowed as the Count's spirit was separated from the body. Drake's body fell to the ground leaving the Count's spirit standing upright. Immediately, they heard sounds of spirits moaning and screaming. Black shadows separated themselves from the darkness and headed straight for the Count and started attacking him. He writhed and whimpered in pain. More black shadows appeared and attacked the Count. They lifted him up off his feet and carried him down quickly into the pavement where hell waited.

The ground where the old Cabaret Fantome had been started glowing. White streams of light were released from the ground and headed upward to the sky as the trapped spirits found their freedom. One headed for Drake and he groaned as he woke up.

Phoebe rushed toward him. "Welcome back."

"Thank you." Drake said. Phoebe held out her hand to help him up. He grabbed it and succeeded in tugging Phoebe down onto his lap. Phoebe giggled as she put her arms around his neck. "Thank you so much! Thank you for bringing me back. Thank you. This boy was gettin' hot."

"I'll bet."

Leo and Piper were sitting at a side table in P3 with Buffy and Angel. Leo was reading an Italian book while the other three laughed at him.

"Leonardo…. It's bene." Piper said.

Leo chuckled and put the book down. "Vacation was a great idea."

"Just not great timing."

"Yeah, well, life is short, Bella."

"Are you quoting Drake now?" Buffy asked.

"He's got a point. Thanks for trying to distract me from The Elders."

"I just wish it had worked the way I planned." Piper said.

"Could be worse."

"I think from now on I'm gonna stop trying to control every little moment. The best ones kinda sneak up on you anyhow."

"I'll drink to that." Angel said. They all picked up their glasses and clinked them together.

"So, next week is the big day." Piper said. "Are you nervous?"

Buffy looked at Angel lovingly. "Not in the least bit."

"I'm hoping that nothing happens and it all goes smoothly." Angel said.

"Why would you say that? That's like, a curse!"

"With your track records for weddings around here…. It was bound to come up."

Before Buffy could answer, the emcee came on stage. "Ladies and gentlemen, P-3 is proud to present a one-night only show by Drake De'mon."

They took their glasses and moved to Phoebe and Paige's table. "What's going on?" Leo asked.

"Oh, my god!" Phoebe said.

"This is what happens when you have one week to live?" Piper asked.

"What is he up to?" Paige asked.

"Just be grateful it's not a fan dance." Buffy said.

The lights dimmed and the music intro started and Drake started singing "Everything's Kind of Good."


	92. Chapter 92

Chapter 92

Paige and Piper orbed into the conservatory where Buffy was helping Angel move everything around and set up the decorations for the wedding. Phoebe and Drake were off to the Alps for a little while since Drake wanted to get that in before he had to die.

"Good, I'm glad you're back." Buffy said. "We need more hands."

Paige grabbed Piper's hand and showed Buffy the injury. "Piper's not going to be using this hand if she doesn't have Leo look at this."

Piper waved it aside. "It's fine, really. Where is Leo? I thought he was helping."

"He went upstairs a little bit ago." Angel said.

"Leo!" Piper called. Leo came down the stairs looking solemn and dressed in his Elder's robes. "Why are you wearing those?"

"The Elders made their decision. I have to go."

"Right now? You can't go right now. Buffy and Angel's wedding is today! And the kids are in school. We won't be able to say…."

Leo came down the stairs and stopped in front of her. "Honey, this isn't good-bye. I'm just going up there to find out what my punishment is. I'll be back before the wedding starts."

"What do you mean 'just'? You make it sound like it's no big deal. What if it's bad?"

"Well, then we'll deal with it. Come on. You're the one who said the Elders couldn't yank me away, remember?"

"Well, that was before I had all this time to stress out about it."

"Well, at least now we're finally gonna know. I mean, that's a good thing, right? The waiting's been killing us."

"Yeah, I know. It's just…. I have a bad feeling."

"I do, too, Leo." Buffy said. "Can't you ask them to postpone it? At least until today is over?"

"I wish I could, but the sooner we get this over with, the better. Hey, we've been through worse. You just have to have faith, ok?" Leo kissed Piper. "I love you."

"I love you, too." Piper said.

"Good luck." Paige said.

Buffy rushed up and hugged Leo tightly. "Damn it, Leo. You better be here for this."

"I will." Leo orbed out.

Piper stepped out of the kitchen into the dining room carrying a vase filled with red roses. She was helping finish the conservatory for the wedding. Phoebe and Drake popped in wearing their ski outfits. "Hey!" Phoebe said. "Wow, this place looks great."

"Pft!" Piper said, arranging the flowers.

"What's wrong?"

"Leo went to speak to The Elders this morning." Buffy said. "We haven't seen or heard from him since."

"Well, that's crazy. We've been to the Alps and back. How long does it take to hand down a sentence?"

"Well, in defense of the Elders, when you live for an eternity, time does get a little skewed." Drake said.

"Yeah, well, we're human, so this is torture." Piper said.

"Well, this is ridiculous." Phoebe looked up at the ceiling. "Hey! Listen, what the hell did you do to Leo? This is Buffy and Angel's wedding day! You send him back!"

"I tried that already. Didn't work so much." Paige said.

"Well, you know what? I'm not saving another innocent until I find out what happened. You hear me? I'm not saving another innocent until you tell us what's going on here."

Sandra the Elder orbed into the room. "Don't worry. Leo's fine."

"So then where is he?" Piper asked.

"Piper, the Elders came to the consensus that Leo has lost his way, so we've sent him on the path towards following his destiny."

"Like the prodigal son out to find his way in the world?" Angel asked.

"Uh, you know what, this Elder-speak is not working for me." Piper said. "I need some straight answers. What exactly did you do to him?"

"We erased his memories and put him back on earth as a mortal, somewhere you'll never find him." Sandra said.

"What? He doesn't remember anything?" Buffy asked. "He doesn't remember Piper or his sons…. Nothing?"

"Not even having been an Elder."

"That's crazy. You don't have the right to wipe out someone's mind, an entire life…. my life!"

"Leo was not just someone, Piper. He was an Elder, by his own choice. He knew all that that entailed."

"Yeah, he was also a husband and a father by choice, and he would never abandon his family."

"This was not an easy decision for us. We love Leo up there as much as you do down here. He wasn't killed or recycled. I hope that you can find comfort in that."

"I'm sorry. You just lobotomized the love of my life, and you want me to take comfort in what? You've got a lot of nerve, lady. Now, I don't want to see you again or any of your kind ever again. We're done with all of you. Now, please…. go."

"Don't give up hope."

"You really need to stop talking now. Please get out of my house." Sandra orbed out. "That's ridiculous."

"Ok, Piper, I know this seems really bad, but we can't give up hope." Buffy said. "Leo is out there somewhere, and I'm sure there's lots of ways we can find him."

"How?"

"Uh, I don't know."

"We can scry for him!" Angel said.

"He doesn't have his powers, so that might be difficult." Phoebe said. "We could…. I don't know. I just…. I don't know."

"This is your idea of a rah-rah speech?" Paige asked. "You're supposed to be cheering her up, not pushing her off the ledge!"

"Well, you know what, Paige? Maybe we're just all rah-rah'ed out."

"Huh?"

"Maybe it's time we face the fact that, you know, perhaps we're not meant to find love."

"That is ridiculous!"

"Ok, think about it. How many Halliwell women have actually been able to hold onto their men?"

"Name one." Piper said.

"Ok, uh…. Buffy! She's getting married today!"

"Maybe not." Buffy said sadly, looking at Angel. "I mean, the Elders chose this day to punish Leo like this? That's not a coincidence." Angel took her hand and squeezed.

"Ok then…. Uh…. How about…. Oh, my God, you're right. That's so depressing."

"Exactly." Phoebe said. "We're destined to be spinsters. All for the greater good."

"Might as well be nuns. With better outfits." Piper said.

"Now…. We…. All right, let's…." Drake threw his gloves down on the floor as he sputtered. "Eighty-six that kinda talk, people. We will not give up on love! Repeat: not give up on love. Love is everything. It's the only thing. It's why you're here. It's why I'm here."

"Uh, I thought you were here to teach at Magic School." Paige said.

"There's that, but the point is, you're young, you're hot, you got magic powers. And you!" Drake poked Buffy's arm. "It's your wedding day! Come on, the whole of life is ahead of you!"

"That's really sweet, and we appreciate you trying, but you die tonight at midnight, and we have to keep fighting." Buffy said.

"Yeah, I may be toast, but love never dies. You might as well die with me if you're gonna give up on it. The point is, Leo and Piper's love, it's epic, it's massive. It's Romeo and Juliet, Anthony and Cleopatra, Brad and Jennifer. Buffy and Angel!"

"All tragedies, I might add." Piper said.

"Better to have loved and lost and…. yadda, yadda, yadda. Am I right?" Drake asked Angel. Angel just shrugged. "But the point is: it's not lost. Look at Buffy and Angel. Sure, it's been hell getting to this day, literally, but they're here! Their love is _not _lost! And neither is Leo. I mean, he's lost, but he's not lost, you know? All you gotta do is find Leo."

"Well, either way, if the Elders don't want us to find him, we're not gonna be able to." Paige said.

"They didn't say that. They're gonna leave it up to him. Come on, precious time is a-wasting. The longer you take to look for Leo, the harder he's gonna be to find. Or we stay here and feel sorry for ourselves if you like."

"My husband just developed a serious case of amnesia, ok?" Piper said. "Give me a moment."

"Phoebe?" Drake held out his hand for her. She put her hand in his and he pulled her up and into his arms as he danced her around the main hall. "If love isn't worth fighting for then," He dipped her. "What is?"

"Ok." Phoebe said. "This is what we're gonna do. We'll look in the Book of Shadows and see if there's another way to find Leo."

"Amen."

"Ok. I guess I could check at Magic School." Paige said.

"Now we're talking."

"Piper, call Darryl." Phoebe said. "Now that Leo's mortal, he might be able to track him."

"Amen!"

"And Buffy and Angel? You guys finish decorating. You two have a wedding to attend."

"All right! Can we go upstairs?"

"Wha…."

"The Book of Shadows."

"Yes!" Drake and Phoebe rushed up the stairs and Paige orbed out.

Piper looked at Buffy and Angel. "I'll call Darryl." Buffy said.

"Thank you." Piper slowly got to her feet and wobbled unsteadily.

"Piper?" Angel asked.

"I'm fine. This is just…. It's a shock."

"I know." Buffy hugged Piper tightly.

"Go on. I'll finish working on the food."

"Darryl, you have to do something." Buffy said, pacing the main hallway as she talked on the phone. Angel was working in the conservatory while Piper went back and forth between the dining room and the kitchen. "Anything."

"Look, Buffy, I'm doing the best that I can." Darryl said. "But the only fingerprints that I have on Leo are from World War II, and I can't use them because they don't match his photograph. He's…. too young."

"Ok, Darryl, but you have to find him."

"I will. I promise. It just might take a little time."

"Well, how long? Long enough that he has a whole new life, a new wife and new kids?" Buffy saw Piper walking into the dining room and lowered her voice. "That is not ok. That is not acceptable!"

"Buffy, just take a breath."

"I don't need to take a breath, Darryl. I need to find Leo! Piper is counting on us." Buffy hung up and walked over to the table to put the phone back on the holder. She noticed Piper fixing a tray on the dining room table. Her oldest cousin put a trembling hand to her forehead and breathed heavily, rubbing her injured hand. "Piper?" Buffy walked towards Piper.

"Oh, god. Somebody please help me." Piper turned towards Buffy, but before she could take a step, she collapsed on the floor.

"Piper! Oh my god!" Buffy rushed to her side. "Angel!"

Angel ran in. "What happened?"

"I don't know! Can you heal her?"

"Piper?" Phoebe and Paige rushed down the stairs.

"Oh, my god!" Paige said.

"What happened?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know." Buffy said. "She just…. Collapsed."

"Piper! Piper, wake up!"

"The thorn demon." Paige said. "I knew I should have had Leo heal her."

"Or maybe it's the shock of losing Leo?"

"Or maybe both." Drake said. "Ran into a few of these thorn demons myself." He snapped his fingers and Piper magically appeared in his arms, off the floor. "Those pricks can be vicious. Pun intended. The poison works slowly, but it's also fatal." He walked over to the couch and put Piper on it.

"Wait. Fatal?" Buffy said. "Ok, Angel, you need to heal her." Angel nodded and went over to Piper. He held his hands over her wounded hand and started to heal. Unfortunately, nothing happened. "What's wrong?"

"The poison is too far into her system. She needs stronger healing powers than mine." Angel said. "She needs an Elder."

"Are you kidding? Piper will kill us!"

"At least she'll be alive!" Phoebe said.

"But if it's slow-working, that'll give us time." Buffy said. "Maybe we can have some sort of options or something."

"You know what? I hate this. I feel so out of control, like there's nothing that we can do."

"There's something we can do." Drake said. "All right? We gotta find Leo."

"Except he can't help us anymore." Paige said.

"Actually, he's the only one who can. You weren't paying attention to my little love rant. That's exactly what we're dealing with here."

"Are you saying she's lovesick?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. And it could kill her. Happens all the time to the bereaved after they lose a loved one. Look at what happened to Buffy when Angel was killed! She shut down and almost went evil. If that's not lovesick, I don't know what is."

"Well, Piper's not going to the Underworld to try and bring Leo back." Paige said.

"Everyone goes through being lovesick differently. Even if we heal Piper, she still needs Leo."

"Ok, uh, maybe you and I should go down to see Darryl and help speed this whole thing up." Buffy said to Angel.

"We'll go with." Phoebe and Paige said.

"I think I'm going to check the, uh, Book upstairs, see what I can do for Piper down here." Drake said.

"Call us if she gets worse." Angel said.

Drake ran up the stairs calling back, "Don't worry. Love will conquer all!"


	93. Chapter 93

Chapter 93

Paige sat behind a desk in the police precinct with Phoebe sitting in the desk directly across from her. Buffy and Angel sat at the desks across from them. All four of them were talking on the phone.

"Yes. Amnesia." Buffy said. "He doesn't remember a thing. His family's getting desperate. Yeah, we'll send a photo right over. Thank you."

Paige hung up her phone at the same time Buffy did and said, "Well, a hundred and fifty police stations down and another ba-jillion to go. It's like searching for the proverbial needle in a haystack."

"I know it's daunting, but we can't give up hope." Angel said.

"I'm thinking maybe that Elder didn't want us to."

"What are you saying?" Phoebe asked.

"I think she was trying to say something to us or at least tell Piper something. Why would she tell Piper not to give up hope if all hope is already lost?"

"So you think it's some kind of test?" Buffy asked.

"Well, if it is, it's one we'd better pass."

Darryl walked in carrying a file folder. "Hey. Any luck?" Buffy asked.

"Well, besides the John Doe that you two found matching Leo's description, you know, my guys have come up with two more so far." Darryl said.

"Is there any way we could speed this up?" Phoebe asked.

"I have as many men as I can on it without drawing suspicion from Sheridan."

An officer walked up to Darryl, handing him a file folder. "This looks like something you might want to see. John Doe just saved some guy's life in Texas."

Buffy waited until the officer was gone before saying, "That's Leo."

"Are you sure?" Angel asked.

"His instincts would be about all he has right now. And his instincts have always tended towards helping and healing others. He was a doctor before he died."

"Let's go get him." Buffy stood up. "Phoebe and Paige, will you go back and stay with Piper?"

"But…." Paige started to protest.

"Don't worry. We won't come home without him."

Angel orbed behind the diner where Leo had last been spotted. Buffy looked around to make sure no one had seen them and then walked towards the front. "Ok, if Leo's not here, we've got nothing." Buffy said.

"Well, he can't be far. The sheriff said that he just saw him here not too long ago." Angel said.

A waitress stepped out from the back and Buffy walked over to her. "Hi. Uh, maybe you could help us. Look, uh, we're looking for somebody, this guy right here." She showed the woman a photo of Leo and Piper at their wedding.

"Have you seen him?" Angel asked.

"Ah, yeah. Didn't think a fellow like that would stay lost for long." The woman said. "Yeah, he left about an hour ago, hitched a ride on a big rig."

"A big rig?" Buffy asked.

"Any idea where they were headed?" Angel asked.

"West, I think." The woman said. "Had some kind of California sign on the side."

"Ok, I'm gonna call Darryl, have him get in touch with the highway patrol." Buffy said, walking outside.

"Buffy…." Angel grabbed her arm and stopped her just outside the diner.

"What?"

"There's an Elder near."

"What?"

"There's an Elder nearby."

"Nearby as in he could be an hour away in a big rig?"

"Come on." Angel grabbed her hand and pulled her back around the corner of the diner. He orbed them to an intersection in the middle of the dessert where a big rig with a San Francisco sign on the trailer rested by the stop sign.

"Look!" Buffy pointed to the passenger. It was Leo. She rushed up and yanked it open. "Leo. Thank god."

"Sorry. Do I know you?" Leo asked.

Odin leaned forward, looking at them and Buffy snapped. "What the hell do you think you're doing, and what did you do to Leo?"

"We let destiny run its course, and so should you." Odin put his hand on Leo's shoulder and orbed them both out of the big rig.

"No!" Buffy cried.

Just then, Drake, Phoebe, and Paige orbed in. "Piper's gotten worse." Phoebe said.

Angel took Buffy's hand and orbed them back to the Manor. "Piper?" Buffy walked over to check on her oldest cousin as Paige, Drake, and Phoebe orbed in.

"We got to you as soon as we could." Drake said.

"The damn Elders." Buffy said. "None of this would be happening if they didn't take Leo."

"Ok, you know what? You're right." Paige said. "We have to get the Elders down here. They're the only ones who can help now."

"That won't do any good. Even if they heal her body, only Leo can heal her soul." Drake said.

"Well, unfortunately, Leo chose the Elders over Piper." Angel said. "It's not like we can get him here and force him to remember his wife."

"This can't be a dead end." Phoebe said.

"You know what? Let me double-check the Book." Paige said.

"I was very thorough. There's nothing there." Drake said.

Piper gasped and Buffy turned back to her. "What? What was that?"

"Leo." Piper moaned.

"Wait. I know what to do." Buffy held her hand out to Angel. "Orb me to the bridge." Angel orbed them to the top of the tallest tower on the Golden Gate Bridge. Buffy looked up and started talking to the sky. "Look, we know you have Leo! Bring him down here now." Odin and Leo orbed onto the tower. "Leo, Piper's dying. You have to come with us."

"I'm sorry. Who?" Leo asked, looking at Odin.

"He doesn't know who she is or who you are." Odin said.

"You did this to him." Buffy spat.

"Leo has chosen his own path."

"By you leading him there? How is this a fair test?"

"Some things are so important that they cannot be left to chance."

Buffy ignored him and looked at Leo. "You need to come home now because Piper needs you."

"Well, I'm there for all those in need." Leo said.

"Look, this is not a test."

"He's made his own decision. It's done." Odin said.

"No, it's not done. Leo and Piper are still in love. You can erase his memory, but you can't erase that. It'll seep into his consciousness until he remembers." Buffy took Angel's hand and she caught the look of recognition from Leo.

"I know this is a great loss for you and that you're going to need time to mourn."

"No. We won't. Because he's not gonna leave. You can't take him away from Piper. Look, their love is true. It's a true love, and it's bigger than you and the Elders and all of this."

Leo slowly turned away from Odin. "Piper."

"Leo?" Buffy asked, stepping towards him. Leo stepped to the edge of the bridge. "Leo, what are you doing? Leo!" Leo spread his arms out away from him and fell off the edge of the bridge. "Leo!" Angel grabbed Buffy's hand and orbed them down to where Leo landed. To their surprise, Leo was alive. "Oh, my god. Leo." She kneeled down next to Leo to check on him as Odin orbed in.

"Buffy…." Leo turned around, revealing that the side of his face was battered and bruised.

"What the hell just happened?" Angel asked.

"He has fallen from grace." Odin said.

"Leo, are you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Take me to Piper. She needs me." Leo said.

"Destiny has spoken. He's made his choice. He's mortal now." Odin said. "You should hurry."

Angel leaned down and took Buffy and Leo's hands. He orbed them to the Manor. "You're too late." Drake said. He stood up to show them Wyatt healing Piper. "Wyatt already healed her."

"Wyatt?" Buffy asked.

Completely healed, Piper sat up and smiled at Wyatt. "Good job, baby." Phoebe sat down next to Piper and Leo kneeled down in front of her.

"How did you know he could do that?" Paige asked.

"I didn't. He did." Drake indicated Leo. "Even put it in the Book. Looks like you got a second-generation Whitelighter on your hands."

"Did you heal your mommy?" Buffy asked Wyatt, picking him up. "You're such a big boy. I'm so proud of you."

"I thought you were never gonna find your way home." Piper said.

"It was your faith that brought me back." Leo said. "I could hear you calling me, like you were right there next to me."

"I had a good coach. An old friend." Piper glanced at Phoebe. "I'll explain later." She reached out and gently turned Leo's head to look at the bruises on the side of his face. "That looks like it hurts."

"Yeah. It doesn't matter. All that matters is that we're together again. I'm never leaving you again."

Piper picked Wyatt up. "Come here, buddy. Come here." She set him on her lap between herself and Leo. "Look who it is. Can you give daddy a hug? Hug, hug, hug."

Drake took Buffy's hand and led her towards the stairs. "All right missy, you need to get dressed."

"For what?" Buffy asked.

"Your wedding of course."

"Oh, Drake…. It's not finished."

Drake smiled and snapped his fingers. The conservatory was suddenly transformed into a beautiful wedding setting and the dining room was decorated and the table was covered with all the foods Piper had intended to make for the reception. Piper, Paige, and Phoebe were suddenly in their bridesmaid's dresses with their hair and makeup all done up. Leo, Drake, Wyatt, and Angel were now in tuxes and Chris and Alex appeared in their wedding attire. Drake was holding the ring bearer's pillow with the two claddagh rings tied to it and the little flower basket for Alex.

"Now, if you people wouldn't mind, I have a bride to get ready." Drake said, shooing them away to the Conservatory.

"We'll summon Grams." Piper said.

"Could someone get mom and uncle Victor?" Buffy called.

"Got it!" Paige said, orbing out.

When they were all gone, Drake turned to Buffy and led her up to her room. He placed her in front of the full length mirror and stepped to the side. "Now for you, milady," He snapped his fingers and Buffy was suddenly in her wedding dress with her hair done just the way she'd imagined it and her makeup perfect. Her red and white rose bouquet was in her hands and the veil came down in front of her face.

"Oh, Drake…." Buffy said.

"I couldn't leave this world without seeing the final thing on my list."

"And what's that?"

"Two star-crossed lovers _finally_ becoming one."

Buffy hugged Drake tightly. "Thank you so much, Drake."

"Ah, it's nothing." The sounds of people downstairs drew their attention to the door. "Sounds like the guests have arrived. I'll be downstairs." Drake left the room, kissing Buffy's hand before he left.

A moment later, Joyce walked into the room. "Oh sweetie…." She hugged her daughter tightly.

"Hi mom. Who's downstairs?"

"Everyone! Willow, Giles, Xander…. Everyone."

"How?"

"That would be Angel." Phoebe said, walking in with Alex in her arms. Piper holding Chris and Paige walking with Wyatt came into the room behind her.

"He went and got everyone." Piper said.

"Drake's downstairs getting them all ready." Paige said.

"You look beautiful." Phoebe said. "Doesn't your mommy look beautiful?" She cooed to Alex.

"Mommy pretty." Alex said, leaning out of Phoebe's arms to hug Buffy.

"Alex pretty." Buffy said, kissing her daughter's head.

Buffy walked down the small aisle with Alex and Wyatt directly in front of her. Angel stood at the end of the aisle under the same archway Piper and Leo had gotten married under. Grams smiled and wiped away a tear. Leo, Doyle, and, to Buffy's surprise, Drake stood as groomsmen behind Angel and Phoebe, Piper, and Paige stood as bridesmaids on Buffy's side.

"Hi." Buffy said as she reached Angel.

"You look beautiful." Angel said.

"We are gathered here today to unite two souls as one." Grams said. "Do you, Angel, and you, Buffy, join us here of your own free will to acknowledge the eternal bond shared by both of you?"

"I do." Angel said.

"I do." Buffy said.

"You may face each other and join hands. Angel, you may recite your vows."

"Buffy Summers." Angel smiled. "Your name is my prayer. You embody all the hope and love and life I've strived for for so long. With you, I am whole. I promise to love and respect you from this point forward as your husband, your lover, your friend, and your soul mate. I love you. Always."

"Buffy…."

"Angel, I've imagined this day since the moment I met you. To have it finally happen surrounded by the people closest to us…. The people we consider our family…. And to have our daughter here with us…. It's more beautiful and magical than I ever dreamed it could be. I love you so much and I am honored that you would call me your wife. I promise that I will love you and respect you and cherish you all the days of my life and beyond. Always."

"Here before witnesses, Buffy and Angel have sworn their vows towards each other. With this cord, I bind them to those vows." A rope was loosely tied around Buffy and Angel's hands.

"Heart to thee, body to thee, always and forever, so mote it be." Buffy and Angel said together.

"So mote it be." Grams said.

"So mote it be." Everyone else intoned.

"I finally present to you, the newlyweds! You can kiss your bride, Angel."

Angel pulled Buffy to him, lifted her veil, and kissed her deeply to the applause from their friends and family.


	94. Chapter 94

Chapter 94

Buffy and Angel walked into a very crowded P3 and looked around for her cousins. They'd been gone for two weeks on their honeymoon and had come back early because Alex missed Wyatt. "There they are!" Buffy pointed to a booth in the back.

As they walked up, they heard Piper say, "So, all that power surging through your veins didn't make you miss the old days?"

"No. I chose the girl, remember?" Leo said.

"What power?" Buffy asked.

"Buffy!" Phoebe hopped up and hugged her cousin. "You're back."

"Early." Piper said, hugging Buffy and then Angel. Leo and Paige got up and hugged both of them too.

"Yeah." Buffy sat down as Angel went to grab them some drinks. "Alex missed Wyatt and I missed being home. Apparently that's not all I missed."

"Yeah." Phoebe said. "You missed a lot."

"Like…."

"Zankou took over the house and tried to get the Nexus." Piper said.

"Oh my god!"

"Yeah. Leo and I were small and then Leo summoned the Hollow into him and that's why I was asking about the power surge."

"How was the honeymoon?" Paige asked.

"It was…. Great." Buffy said, taking the drink Angel gave her. "We brought presents."

"Yay!" Phoebe said.

"Phoebe, isn't that your boss Elise?" Angel asked, pointing to the dance floor.

Phoebe's jaw dropped as she saw Elise and Richard Dillard dancing. "Oh, my god, it is!"

"So much for her family emergency." Paige said.

"And she's with Richard Dillard!"

"Who's that?" Buffy asked.

"That's the guy that should have been running the paper instead of me."

"Well, if she's hanging out here, maybe she wants you to know that she does have a life outside of work." Paige said.

"I guess. You know what? Good for her."

"You're not gonna call her on it?" Piper asked.

"Well, I'm not gonna buy her a new blackberry, but all the times I've bailed, who can blame her?"

"Wow. Enlightened." Buffy said.

"Well, you learn a lot from walking in someone else's shoes."

"Yeah. That's what I'm afraid of…. What Zankou has found out about us." Paige said.

"Yeah. I don't think we've seen the last of him."

Leo got to his feet. "Well, on that unhappy note, I gotta get back to the Manor and clean up the mess after the demons. It's probably gonna take a while to sort it all out and I don't want Buffy and Angel to come back to a messy home."

"Well, here we go again, huh?" Piper asked.

"Yeah." Leo turned and left.

"What was that about?" Buffy asked.

"While you were gone, he rearranged the entire house." Piper said.

Paige stood up and sighed. "As for me, as much as I would like to find a little cutie to dance with, I should be getting back to Magic School to finish those schedules. Woo-hoo! Au revoir, adults."

"It's really getting to her, huh?" Angel asked as Paige left.

"Yeah." Phoebe said. "She's super stressed."

"Why don't you let Leo take over?"

"What?" Piper asked.

"Well, he's got the magical knowledge. He was an Elder. He knows more about that place and everything it involves."

"Oh my god!"

"What?"

"I can't believe we haven't thought of this before." Piper stood up. "I'm going to ask Paige what she thinks."

Piper led Leo into the Great Hall with her hands covering his eyes. She removed her hands and said, "Surprise!"

Leo looked around. "What, you want me to clean Magic School?"

"No." Leo turned as Phoebe, Angel, Buffy, and Paige joined them. "We want you to run it." Phoebe said.

"Huh? What's going on here?" Paige asked.

"Well, we were just thinking since you're dying to try something new…."

"And Leo being the perfect man for the job." Angel said. "Considering your magic know-how, you're practically a walking Book of Shadows."

"Well, I have wanted to get out and spread my wings." Paige said.

"And with Leo, the school is still in good hands." Piper said.

"I don't know what to say." Leo said. "Paige?"

"I'm good." Paige orbed out.

"Well, that was easy." Buffy said.

"Leo?" Phoebe asked.

"I'd be honored." Leo said.

"Good choice." Piper said.

Paige squinted her eyes tightly as she held her fingers to her ears trying to block out the sounds of the irritating high-pitched whine in her head. "Phoebe?"

"Coming!" Phoebe walked back into the living room carrying a cup. "Coming. I used castor root this time. It should dull all the senses."

"I don't care. Just give it to me." Paige took the cup, drinking from it as Phoebe sat down next to her. "Thank you." Paige turned and saw Phoebe smiling at her. "Do you mind?"

"Do I mind what?"

"Looking so psychotically perky while I'm so miserable?"

"You know, maybe it's psychosomatic. I mean, the inner ear has to do with balance, so maybe you're feeling imbalance because the whole Magic School thing." Phoebe stopped, waiting for Paige to respond to that theory.

Paige looked at Phoebe. "Phoebe, come here." Phoebe leaned forward and Paige slapped her on her cheek.

"Ow! What was that for?"

"Does that seem psychomatic to you?" They both turned when Wyatt and Alex orbed into the room in front of them dressed in bath robes with Wyatt looking rather guilty.

"Hey, sweeties." Phoebe said. "I thought it was bath time."

"Uh, it is." Leo walked into the room followed by Buffy.

"You two!" Buffy scolded.

Leo kneeled down. "Uh, hey, guys. That was, uh, pretty funny, but I don't think either of your mommies are going to think so."

"I know I don't."

"What's going on?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, I think the terrible twos have begun." Leo said. "And he's influencing Alex."

"Oh, well, magical babies will be magical babies." Paige said.

"Yeah, well, try explaining that to their magical mamas." Buffy said.

"Listen, I think you better orb Alex back upstairs before mommy and aunt Buffy turn you into a toad." Wyatt took Alex's hand and orbed out of the room just as Paige groaned in frustration.

"Ow!" She whined.

Leo turned and looked at Phoebe rubbing Paige's arm in sympathy. "What's the matter?"

"She has a ringing in her ears." Phoebe explained.

"No. It's more like a jackhammer." Paige said.

"Huh, Angel said the same thing." Buffy said. "He's upstairs trying to sleep."

"Really?" Leo asked. Buffy and Paige both nodded. "Paige, is it kind of like a dentist's drill that kind of goes in and out?"

"Yeah." Paige said.

"Why, you know what it is?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, it could be your whitelighter powers coming on." Leo said. "You know, you could be hearing the call from the Elders. Before I learned to control my powers, it used to drive me nuts. The same with Angel. He's probably hearing the call of the Elders."

"No. That's unacceptable." Paige said. "Ow."

"Ok. Well, you're half-whitelighter. You can't deny that."

"Yes, I can. I want nothing to do with the Elders, ok?"

"I'm with her." Buffy said. "Angel's only got us as charges. They shouldn't be calling him for anything."

"All right, well, if it is what I think it is, neither you, nor Angel, have much of a choice. The only way to find out is to actually talk to an Elder."

"Well, you can't bring one over here. Piper will freak out." Buffy said.

"All right, well, then maybe you should meet at Magic School." Paige looked at Leo with exasperation. "Look, do you want it to stop or don't you? Come on. I'll go with you." Leo held out his hand and Paige grabbed his hand and sighed, orbing them out of the room.

"And I'm going to go finish giving Alex a bath." Buffy said, turning back to the stairs. A flurry of something happening in front of Phoebe stopped her and a woman appeared, gasping for breath.

"Who are you?" Phoebe asked.

"Please, you have to help me find it before it's too late." The woman said.

"Find what?" Buffy asked, glancing upstairs where the kids were.

"Pandora's box!"

Wyatt sat on the floor with Alex playing with their toys while Piper looked through the Book of Shadows. Buffy sat on the floor with the kids and keeping an eye on Nina, the woman who was looking for Pandora's box. Angel paced behind Buffy, watching Buffy, the kids, and Nina and trying to ignore the ringing in his head.

"Well, I guess since Excalibur is real, I don't know why it'd be a surprise that Pandora's Box isn't as well." Piper said.

Phoebe returned to the attic and handed Nina a cup. "Oh, thank you." Nina said.

"How did you know to come to us?" Buffy asked.

"You're The Charmed Ones and the Slayer." Nina dabbed at the bruise on her chin with a tissue. "Everyone in the magical community knows about you."

"Yeah. That's becoming a problem." Piper said. Suddenly, the Book of Shadows orbed out from under Piper's hands and into Wyatt's lap. "Hey! Um, mister? Excuse me."

"What did we tell you about the orbing?" Buffy scolded, gently taking the Book back from Wyatt. "Ok? Only when mommy says so." She handed the Book back to Piper.

"Thank you very much." Piper said.

"Piper, you can't deny who he is, through the good, the bad, and the annoying." Phoebe said.

"Ah, I see you've been talking to Leo, haven't you?" Piper dropped the Book of Shadows onto the bookstand.

"Look, just because you guys have completely different parenting styles doesn't mean you can take it out on me. I'm just the sister."

"And whose side are you on, exactly?"

Nina moved to stand next to Piper. "Back to the box?"

"Right. Ok. Let me guess. A demon took it."

"No. But we better find the next Guardian before one does."

"Guardian?" Angel asked.

"Like you, Buffy, we're chosen beings, part of a magical lineage, once in which every generation a girl is born, meant to guard Pandora's Box."

"Right, hence the name 'Guardian'. Got it." Buffy said.

"Only, each girl is trained by the previous Guardian, instructed carefully about the dangers and powers of the box, except the next one hasn't been."

"Sounds familiar." Angel said, poking Buffy's backside with the toe of his shoe.

Buffy smiled up at him. "And look how great I turned out." Angel chuckled and bent down to kiss her.

"I'm not following." Phoebe said, smiling at Buffy and Angel.

"When Katya the demon attacked me, the box, perhaps sensing the danger, disappeared on its own, moving on to its next Guardian." Nina said.

"And you don't know who that is." Buffy said.

"No. I guess I wasn't expected to survive."

"So, what does Katya want with the box?" Angel asked.

"She wants to open it and release the world's ills: Sorrow, famine, plagues, all the evil inside."

"So, what's to keep the new Guardian from accidentally doing the same, especially if she doesn't know what's in the box?" Piper asked.

Nina paused dramatically. "Nothing."

Piper, Phoebe and Nina stood around the table as Piper scried for Pandora's Box. Angel was still pacing and Buffy was still sitting on the floor with the kids.

"Come on, come on. What's taking so long?" Phoebe asked.

"Relax, or I'll give you a time-out." Piper said.

"Here. Maybe this'll help." Nina removed her necklace and gave it to Piper.

Piper held on to it and continued to scry. Suddenly, an alphabet block was orbed as it fell from the ceiling and down onto the middle of the scrying table. It hit Piper's scrying crystal, causing Piper to drop the crystal on the map. "Wyatt! Time-out means no magic!"

"Scry now, parent later." Phoebe said.

"Well, you know, it would help if Buffy and I weren't the only ones around here who had to discipline him."

Phoebe picked up the scrying crystal and necklace. "Let me do this."

"Please, we have to hurry. If the box has been opened or if a demon's found it…." Nina said.

"We won't let that happen. I promise. Look, we do this all the time." Phoebe said as she started to scry.

"Maybe we need a stronger connection." Piper said.

"I don't know what else to try."

Suddenly, the scrying crystal hit the map. "U.C. Berkeley. It's on the campus." Nina looked at them, then quickly headed for the door. "Whoa! Where are you going?"

"You've done your jobs. Now I have to go do mine." Nina said.

"Wait, you saw where that got you last time. Why don't you let us go with you?"

"I can't let you risk it."

"Well, we can't let you risk it, either, not as long as there's a demon after that box." Angel said.

Nina sighed. "All right, but I'll transport us there. It'll be faster."

"What about the Elders?" Phoebe asked.

"What about them?" Angel asked, rubbing his temples.

"Well, I mean, it's Pandora's Box. We should probably tell them something."

"All right, you tell them." Piper said. "Mommy needs a time-out." Nina put her hands on Piper's shoulder and left with a flutter of particles.


	95. Chapter 95

Chapter 95

Sandra the Elder turned around and looked at Phoebe, Buffy, and Angel as they stood in the attic. They'd just explained to her about Pandora's Box being lost. "This explains the global alert." Sandra said.

"Alert? What are you talking about?" Buffy asked.

"The one that Paige heard, and you're hearing, Angel, and every other whitelighter. Pandora's Box exists solely to tempt. It's part of the grand design. If mankind chooses to open it again, so be it, but Guardians are supposed to protect it from being opened by demons."

"So, then we should be fine." Phoebe said. "Piper and Nina…."

"Nina never should've let it out of her sight."

"Well, apparently, she didn't have a choice." Angel said. "The box moved on to its next Guardian by itself."

"Oh, that's not possible. It's like being a Slayer. The box can't move on unless the prior Guardian was already dead."

"You need to orb us to Piper." Buffy said, grabbing Phoebe and Angel's arms.

Angel orbed them to where he sensed Piper at. The room they orbed into was a mess. There were lamps and furniture that was overturned. It was obvious they'd been attacked. "Piper? Where are you?" Phoebe called. Piper peered around an overturned desk near the window. "Oh, thank god you're ok." A girl popped up next to Piper from behind the overturned couch.

"Who is she?" Buffy asked.

"Meet Hope, the real Guardian of the box." Piper said. "Too bad she doesn't have anything left to guard."

Hope stood up and backed away from everyone. "Who…. who are you people?"

"Ok, Hope, can you just try to calm down a little bit? We're the good guys, I swear." Phoebe said.

"Oh, good guys. Oh, then what was she?"

"She was a…." Piper started.

"She was a demon pretending to be a guardian, just like you." Buffy said. "Nina's dead, by the way."

"Yeah, I figured. Not now."

"You!" Hope cried, pointing at Piper. "You blew up my dorm with your hands!"

"Yes, and I am very sorry about that."

"Oh. Ha. Now you're all calm, like this kind of stuff happens every day!"

"Well, it kind of does." Angel said.

"You see, uh…. we're witches." Phoebe said.

"And I'm a Slayer." Buffy said.

"And I'm…. a whitelighter." Angel said.

"What?" Hope asked.

"We can explain all of this in great detail much later, but right now, we need to get you goin'." Piper said.

"And fast." Phoebe said. "I'm feeling a little…."

"Bummed?" Piper finished. "Yeah, I know. Nina, or Katya I'm assuming, said that it was the first wave of sorrow from the box."

"Great, so like a little appetizer?" Phoebe said. "And she's obviously immune to it, cause she seems more freaked than bummed."

"Well, can you blame her?" Buffy asked.

"What are you talking about?" Hope asked.

Piper smiled at her. "We just need to know one thing that's…. kind of important. Did you open the box?"

"Only for a second. Some sort of dust came out, and then I shut it."

"Well, from the sounds of the dorm out there, I'd say it was long enough." Angel said. He held out his hands. "Shall we go?"

"Oh, I am not going anywhere with you people. You burst in here talking about Pandora's Box and guardians and witches and Slayers and whitelighters and god knows what else." Hope took a step closer to the broken door. "Now you expect me to leave with you."

"Ok, look, I know exactly how you feel." Buffy said. "When I first found out I was the Slayer, it was really scary. It's a huge burden and I…. Well, I wanted a social life and it hindered on that. But after a little guidance from the right people…. It made being the Slayer the best thing that's ever happened to me. We can help you. You just have to come with us."

Piper and Leo walked into the living room where Phoebe sat with Hope. Buffy was walking down the stairs from checking on the kids and Angel was standing by the fireplace. "There was nothing in the Book on Katya, and scrying for the box did not work." Piper said to Buffy.

"Maybe we should try Magic School?" Buffy asked.

"Wait. Magic school?" Hope asked. "What is that?"

"It's a place where you can learn more about your gifts." Leo said.

"Are you a witch, too?"

"No, he's a…. he's…." Piper looked at Leo. "He's a long story."

"One that worked out well." Leo added.

"This is all so complicated." Hope said.

Buffy snorted. "You obviously haven't gotten into Angel's story, then."

"Look, I know this is really hard to understand, but this is what you're meant to do." Phoebe said.

"No. I'm meant to finish school, party, have fun. I don't even know if I believe in magic." Just then, Wyatt orbed into the middle of the living room, his teddy bear clutched in his arms. "Oh! Where did he come from?"

"Ah…. Uh, sorry. He's not supposed to do that without permission." Piper said.

"Wyatt, I told you no orbing." Buffy scolded, picking him up. "Don't scare the pretty girl, ok?"

Leo walked over to Buffy and Wyatt. "Ok, pal, listen, why don't you take Wubby upstairs for a little nap, 'kay?" Wyatt orbed out of Buffy's arms.

Hope stood up. "Oh! I'm getting out of here."

"Hope, wait." Phoebe said. "Look, there's nothing that I can say that's going to make this any better."

"Can't you just make up a spell or something?"

"Sometimes I wish I could, but then I realize all of this, you know, the good and the bad, makes me who I am, you know?"

Hope's cell phone rang. "It's my friend Darcy. I have to help her."

"You know, you could help a lot of people by finding that box." Angel said.

"You don't understand. She's like my sister. I have to go." Hope headed for the door.

"Hope, wait." Buffy called, following the girl.

"No!" Hope turned around and a powerful telekinetic blast emitted from her hands, hitting Buffy and pushing up and backward toward the wall. "Oh…." More freaked than ever, Hope looked at her hands as she backed up. "My god."

Angel went over to help Buffy as Hope ran out of the house. "Sweetheart?"

"Buffy? You ok?" Piper asked.

Buffy stood up, laughing slightly. "Aren't you tired of asking me that?"

"It does get a little repetitive. We've got to go get her."

"It's ok." Phoebe said. "You can't force her to stay."

"Besides, she could obviously protect herself." Buffy said.

"Well, what are we going to do?" Piper asked.

"We've got to get the box back before Katya opens it." Angel said.

There were stacks and stacks of books on the table in the Great Hall. The topmost books were all open. At the end of the table, Piper was going through more books. Buffy was sitting on the ladder that rolled around the shelves of books reading one she'd just pulled down. Angel was also at the table reading.

Phoebe walked up to the table carrying an armload of scrolls. "You'd think there'd be something about Pandora's Box in a place called Magic School."

"Leo's been reorganizing." Piper said.

"Well, maybe we should get him to help us."

"No, he's busy."

"Busy doing what? What could be more important than this?"

"Globally, nothing. Personally, I need him to wrangle Wyatt for a day so he can see what I'm talking about."

"Piper, you know what Wyatt is going through is completely normal."

"No, temper tantrums are normal. Uncontrollable crying is normal. Orbing all over town is not normal."

"He's not orbing all over town."

"Not yet. Look, it's not that I have a problem with him being magical, because if I did I would've bound his powers at birth. It's just that he needs to learn that he can't use his powers whenever he wants to, and Leo needs to understand that, too."

"I think he does. I just think he deals with it differently."

"Well, we'll see how Mr. Mom deals with it after he's been chasing around the kid now that Leo can't orb."

"You guys will figure it out."

"You know, you have been much more optimistic lately." Buffy said.

"Yeah, I guess I have hope. I mean, we lost Hope the person, but I have, you know…."

"I got it. I found something." Angel said.

"About the box?" Buffy asked.

"No, the demon. Nothing new. It says she's a shape-shifter."

"Yeah, we found out about that the hard way." Phoebe said.

"It won't happen again." Buffy said.

"She used to work for Demonic Dark Lords, then she went rogue." Angel read.

"How very enterprising of her." Piper quipped.

"She probably just wants to make a name for herself." Buffy said.

"Why is it that every demon who is trying to make a name for themselves has to go and try to end the world?"

"It's all about notoriety. No one remembers the demons that _don't _try to end the world." Angel said. Phoebe and Piper sent him confused looks. "Did we forget my evil alter ego tried to end the world?"

"Right." Phoebe said. "Why don't we scry for her?" She picked up the scrying crystal and moved over the map.

Behind Hope, Buffy, Piper, Angel, and Phoebe orbed into the cave. Pandora's Box was sitting on a table with the lid open. "We're too late." Angel said.

A demon stepped forward and Piper blasted him. "Minions!" Piper sighed.

Katya quickly stepped forward and closed the box. She held it and fluttered out of the cave, vanishing from their sight. "Hope, what are you doing here?" Buffy asked.

"She forced me to open the box." Hope said. "She took my friend Darcy."

"Where is she?"

Hope turned and pointed. "That way." They all turned and rushed out. "Darcy? Where are you?"

"Darcy?" Phoebe called. "Darcy!"

"Darcy, where are you?" Hope cried.

They found Darcy cowering on the ground in another cave. Hope ran toward Darcy and kneeled down next to her. "Get me out of here." Darcy said.

Hope nodded and turned to look over at Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Piper.

Paige was now with the rest of the group back at the Manor in the attic. "Ok, well, I guess your day trumps my day." She said. "Thanks for bringing me home to clean up the mess, though. Is anybody else feeling blue?"

"It's the effects of the box being opened." Angel said.

"Ok, there's still a demon on the loose, and the longer he is, the more we're all going to be affected." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, exactly. Um, this is crazy. We need to leave." Darcy said.

"You're safer here." Buffy said.

"No."

"It's ok, Darcy. They can protect us." Hope said.

"Hope, that thing was trying to kill us. She wants to kill them. We're sitting ducks here."

"Not as much as you are out there." Buffy said. "As long as Katya knows that Hope can put all the evils back in the box, she is a very large target."

"Which means you are, too." Angel said.

"No, not if she doesn't go along with it." Darcy said. "Look, no one says that you even have to care about this stupid box anymore."

"Actually, she does, you see? Because it's her birthright." Paige said.

"Says you. Hope, listen to me, ok? We don't even know these people. For all we know, they could be the demon."

"Ah! That's ridiculous." Piper said.

"Is it? She's done it before. That's what she does, right? Right? Hope, we can only trust each other."

"You're right." Hope said.

"Hope…." Piper started.

"No, actually, I think she is right." Phoebe said.

"Phoebe!" Paige cried.

"We can't make her do something she doesn't want to do. This is her path to either follow or not. But before you leave, Hope, let Paige show you how to contact us, god forbid anything should happen." Paige and Hope stepped closer to the Book where Phoebe was. Phoebe looked over at Piper and Darcy, dismissing them. "We'll see you downstairs." Piper looked at Phoebe who gave her a pointed look and then took Darcy downstairs. As soon as they were out of earshot, Phoebe turned to the others. "That's not Darcy."

"What?" Hope asked.

"That's Katya. She's a shapeshifter remember?"

"But…."

"Listen Hope, let Paige use a glamour to make herself look like you."

"What?" Paige asked.

"Yeah. Paige, you go with Katya down there and get the real Darcy and the box out of there."

Paige sighed. "Fine." She snapped her fingers and became Hope.

"Go." Paige walked out.

"But…." Hope sighed.

Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, Piper, and Hope waited for word from Paige. Finally, Darcy orbed into the attic with Pandora's box in her arms. "Darcy?" Phoebe asked.

"Will someone tell me what the hell is going on here?" Darcy said.

They turned and looked at Hope. "That's her." Hope said.

Buffy walked over to Darcy and took the box from her. "Didn't want to make the same mistake twice, right? Ok, Hope, we need your help." Buffy handed Hope the box. "You're the only person that can do this."

"I don't…"

"Listen to me. This is your destiny. Just like becoming the Slayer was mine."

"I just…. uh, don't know if I can do this."

"You're forgetting something about Pandora's Box." Darcy said. "According to myth, when all the sorrows are released, there was one thing left at the bottom of the box: hope."

"You can do it." Buffy said.

Hope took a step back and held the box close to her chest. She opened the lid and whispering sounded all around them. Black dust gathered in the attic, coming in from the open window, the cracks in the walls and ceiling. It swirled around the attic and around Hope. They watched as the black dust obediently headed straight back into the box. The lid closed and the whispering stopped.

"See?" Buffy said. "Told you you could do it."

"Thank you." Hope said.

Wyatt was sitting on the floor playing with Alex while Leo held Chris and watched. He handed Wyatt a geometric ball, letting him and Alex play with it as Buffy and Piper walked into the room.

"So how was your day?" Piper asked.

"Very funny." Leo said. "Actually, it was all right. It calmed down a bit once Wyatt tried to orb a toy to himself and hit himself in the head."

"Oh, no."

"It's ok. It was just a little bump, but it was enough to teach him that he shouldn't do it again."

"Is that your way of telling me that magical boys will be magical boys again?"

"No. You know, we both need to teach him when and where to use his powers, though it's not going to be easy."

"And on the other hand, we do need to realize that he is who he is, and even though I want a normal family, I don't want it at the expense of them finding their own identities."

"Well, uh, Chris here is going to be coming into his powers shortly. It could get a little nuts around here."

"As opposed to what?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

"We'll deal with it as it comes." Piper said. "All of us. Together. And until then…." She looked at Wyatt "Why don't you show mommy all those cool tricks you've been learning? Go ahead. It's ok."

Wyatt took the geometric ball and orbed it up to the air above him. Next, his teddy bear floated up next to it. A second later, Wyatt had several more toys including a toy train and his block set floating in the air above him. Alex squealed with delight and clapped her hands in excitement.


	96. Chapter 96

Chapter 96

Piper waved her hands, blasting the demon in front of her. Buffy and Angel were fighting off their own demons in various places around P3. Behind Piper, another demon stepped out holding a fireball in his hand. Buffy waved her hand and the demon's fireball hit a wall. Piper turned around and yelled, "Ok. Wait, listen. New rule. I will not tolerate demon activity in my house or in my club. Got it?" She waved her hands and blasted him.

Another demon appeared in the club just as Paige orbed in. "Uh, barstool!" Paige called. She orbed the barstool, throwing it at the demon. It hit him, knocking him over. The demon looked at Piper, then shimmered out. Piper waved her hand, her blast just barely catching him as he disappeared.

"Are you guys ok?" Paige asked.

"Yeah." Buffy said, dusting herself off.

"I'm fine." Piper said.

"Me too." Angel said.

"What the hell do you think they wanted?" Paige asked.

"I have no clue." Piper said.

"At least you guys are ok."

"Yeah, but he's not." Buffy said. Just outside the open back door was the delivery boy, unconscious on the ground near his hand truck full with cases of beer.

Paramedics rolled the delivery boy on a gurney out of the club. The officer at the scene talked with Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Paige. Apparently someone had heard the commotion and called the police.

"He has a concussion, needs a few stitches, but otherwise he's fine." The officer said.

"Oh, thank god." Piper said.

"Did he say whether, you know, he'd seen anything?" Paige asked.

"He was hit from behind." The officer said. "Last thing he remembers was loading a case of beer from his hand truck."

"Oh, that was good." Piper said. "I mean, you know, that he remembers something because that probably means he doesn't have any brain damage."

"Well, stick around. The detective's going to need to take a statement." The officer turned to talk with another person.

"Probably doesn't have any 'brain damage'?" Buffy giggled. "Smooth, Piper, real smooth."

"I can't believe this. They attack us at work now? What, is no place sacred?"

"Well, I thought we covered pretty well." Angel said.

"Yeah, this time, but what about next time and the time after that?"

"Well, we'll just deal with it when it happens."

"No. I'm going to deal with them now."

"Well, before you do that, can you help me out?" Paige asked. "Reason why I came here. That guy Mitchell…. blew me off." Piper stared at her blankly. Buffy and Angel had similar expressions. "My charge."

"Oh." The three said.

"Oh? That's all you have for me is 'oh'?"

"Well, we can't really help you out with that whole whitelighter thing." Piper said. "You should probably talk to Leo or Angel."

Paige looked at Angel, but before she could speak, Inspector Sheridan approached them. "Excuse me. You're Phoebe Halliwell's sisters, right?"

"Right." Piper said.

"I'm Inspector Sheridan. I met Phoebe a couple weeks ago on a different case."

"Oh. Well, it's nice to meet you." Piper said.

Buffy looked around for Darryl. "Uh, where is Lieutenant…."

"Lieutenant Morris? He's out of town. Just taking some personal time. I'll be covering for him while he's gone. So, could you describe the suspects? Tall? Short? White? Black?"

"Didn't really get a good look at him." Paige said.

"Yeah." Angel said. "We were in the back, and by the time we came out, they were gone."

"What I don't understand is why they would rob the place in the middle of the day." Sheridan said. "Before you even opened."

"We've been asking ourselves the same question." Buffy said.

"Hmm. Well, we'll stay in touch." Sheridan turned and left.

"Well, good news is I don't think she remembers meeting us." Paige said. "Thank god for memory dust."

"Yeah, but it's not a hundred percent guaranteed." Angel said. "If we give her the slightest cause, her memory could come flying back."

"Which is another reason we need to find the demon who did this." Piper said.

Phoebe stormed into the kitchen to join Piper, who was cooking up potions at the stove, and Buffy, who was putting the potion into vials. "Lawyers!" Phoebe huffed. "There should be a special place in hell for each and every one of them."

Piper nodded. "Ok, before you freak out, let me tell you about…."

"I mean, talk about an attack!"

"Exactly!"

"The paper's been sued by just a few people, and now the whole legal department is clamping down on the reporters."

"So, you're not a reporter." Buffy said.

"Anyway, as I was…." Piper started, but Phoebe interrupted again.

"But I'm a columnist. And they're saying that I could actually be sued if I give bad advice. So they want every one of my columns to be reviewed by a professional shrink."

"Well, technically, you're not a real shrink." Buffy said.

"Excuse me? Bachelor's degree, four years. And besides, my readers don't care about my credentials, all they care about is my insight."

"Yes, that is true." Piper said. "Now, why don't you direct that famous insight towards the fact that we were attacked at P-3 today?"

"Oh, my god. Are you guys ok?"

"Well, we're alive, which the demons won't be when I'm done with them."

"Providing we can find them." Buffy said.

"Wait. They're not in the book?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, too many fit the description." Piper said.

"God, that's so weird. Demons never attack at P-3."

"Even weirder, I don't think they wanted to kill us." Buffy said. "One of them could've easily nailed Piper with a fireball, but then didn't."

"Here," Piper handed Phoebe a potions vial filled with red liquid.

"What's this?" Phoebe asked.

"Piper's new policy." Buffy said. "We carry them for protection at all times."

"Yeah, but if we don't know what kind of demon it is…."

"Well, it doesn't matter." Piper said. "If it doesn't kill them, it will at least stun them."

"Wow. And I thought I was on a rampage."

"Well, I'm sending the underworld a message. Basically, back off, and let me live my life."

"And I'm going to help you with that, but first I have to deal with my column. You want me to have a life, too, don't you?"

"If you must."

Phoebe nodded and walked out of the kitchen.

"I cannot believe they cut a piece from my hair, and I just spent $250 on a cut and color." Phoebe said on the other line.

Buffy was on the phone with her helping Piper feed the kids. "What? You spent $250 on a haircut?"

"Are you kidding me?" Piper said. "She could have bought a week's worth of groceries with that."

"Ok. I don't think the price of my haircut should be your main concern right now." Phoebe said.

"Ok, well actually, this is good news." Buffy said.

"For whom exactly?"

"All of us. Exactly how many demons specialize in cutting someone's hair? It should make them easier to find. What did he look like? Long coat and greasy hair?"

"Yeah, and wielding some mean scissors, which, by the way, I have."

"Good. We can use them to scry with."

"Ok. I'll drop them off at home as soon as I deal with someone else who wants a piece of me. I've got to go."

"Wait. Phoebe, wait…." Phoebe hung up on her. "I hate it when she does that."

"Does she do it a lot?" Piper asked.

"Not really, but it's just aggravating." Buffy sighed, setting the phone down and picking up Alex's spoon. "Maybe I should send Angel to get those scissors from Phoebe."

"She'll be home in a little while. But we are so having a discussion about budgeting."

Buffy laughed. "I'm with you."

"Any luck finding our demons?" Piper asked Leo who was sitting on the couch looking through a thick book.

"Nope." Leo said.

"Well, good. I'm glad it just wasn't me. By the way, thanks."

"For what?"

"For coming home to help me in the middle of the day."

"You guys were attacked."

"Yeah, I'm working on that not happening so much anymore."

"Well, you know, Piper, you can't scare away all the demons all the time. You know that."

"No, but I can make them think twice about attacking again, can't I? Besides, I'd like to think that one day our husbands could come home in the middle of the day for, I don't know…. lunch?"

"Hmm. Well, you know, we could find something else to do for, like, an hour or so." Leo looked at her suggestively.

Just then, Buffy and Angel walked into the room carrying more books in their hands. "Hey, hey, demon hunting now. Romance later." Buffy said.

"So, I'm thinking whoever wanted the hair was probably working for an upper-level demon." Angel said. "The question is who."

"Soul swapper?" Buffy suggested.

"Could be." Leo said. "Or voodoo priestess or witch doctor, or demonic cloner."

"A cloner?" Piper asked. "That wouldn't be such a bad thing. At least then I'd have another sister to fight demons with."

The front door closed and Phoebe walked into the room. "Did someone say 'fight demons?' Cause I am so there."

"What are you doing back so soon?" Buffy asked.

"Uh…. what do you mean?"

"What happened with the shrink?"

"Oh, I took care of him." Phoebe turned and caught a glimpse of herself in the mirror and gasped. "Oh, my god."

"Oh, for god sakes. Your hair looks fine." Piper said.

Buffy watched Phoebe turn her back to the mirror, trying to get a glimpse of what she looked like from behind. It was not a move Phoebe would pull and Buffy's spider senses tingled.

"You know, maybe we should go up and check the Book of Shadows again." Leo said.

"I already checked it." Buffy said.

"Maybe we should check again." Phoebe said. "I mean, I'm just saying that we have to fight demons, right?"

"Fine." Piper stood up. As they headed upstairs, Buffy saw Phoebe stop to admire herself in the mirror again.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked her.

"Fabulous." Phoebe answered. She smiled brightly and walked upstairs.

Buffy watched her go with a look of discontent. "What's wrong?" She turned around to see Angel standing behind her.

Buffy shrugged. "Maybe Phoebe's working too hard or something."

"Why?"

"She seems…. Off."

"Off how?"

"Like…. Off. I can't explain it."

"Come on. I'm sure she's fine." Angel escorted Buffy upstairs.

Phoebe was looking through the Book of Shadows while Leo paced the floor. Piper sat on a stool looking through another book and Buffy stood off to the side watching Phoebe. Angel was sitting on the couch flipping through a book of his own.

"Any idea what these demon creeps are looking for?" Phoebe asked.

"Not yet." Leo said. "But the more I think about it, the more I'm leaning towards Buffy's idea of soul swapping."

"Soul swapping? No, I don't buy it."

"Well, if it was voodoo, they could have just stolen a comb or brush to get the hair. See, soul swapping is more powerful. It requires fresh ingredients, which explains why they needed the freshly cut hair."

"Yeah, but demons have tried to impersonate us before, and it's never worked. I mean, we just…. Know each other too well."

"She's got a point, and besides…." Piper said. "At least we still have the scissors to scry for them with."

"Scissors?"

"Are they in your purse? I'll go get them." Piper closed the book and hopped off the stool.

Buffy watched Phoebe's face fall and then light up. She gasped loudly and took a step back. Piper stopped and she, Angel, and Leo turned to look at Phoebe. "Phoebe?" Leo asked.

"What? Did you have a premonition?" Piper asked.

"Yes, I did. A very big one." Phoebe stepped up to the Book and pointed to the page. "This is the guy. This is the guy we're looking for right here."

"Daleek? He doesn't look like any of the demons that attacked us." Buffy said.

"Are you sure?"

"You know, maybe he's working with him." Leo said.

"Yeah, that's probably it."

"'Upper-level demon, works above ground.'" Angel said. "You know, it could be a Zankou plant. Wouldn't be the first time."

"But it doesn't say anything about him cutting hair." Buffy said.

"But I saw him posing as a civilian in my premonition. What more proof do we need?" Phoebe asked.

"Ok, but…."

"Great!" Phoebe headed for the door. "I'll meet you downstairs. I'm going to go slip into something a little bit more sexy."

"Sexy?" Piper asked. "Phoebe, we're killing a demon, not going to the club."

"Did I say sexy? I meant…. comfortable." Phoebe turned and headed for the door again.

Piper stopped her. "Wait! Maybe we shouldn't go after this guy until we have the power of three."

"Well, you can call Paige if you need her, but now that she's a whitelighter, you got to get used to working without her." Leo said. "She's not going to be around as much."

"What he said." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, and besides, you have potions. If it does turn out to be an upper-level demon, it's nothing you haven't handled before."

"Couldn't have said it any better myself. I'm going to go change." Phoebe turned and left the attic.

Buffy shot Angel an I-told-you-so look.


	97. Chapter 97

Chapter 97

Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Piper walked through the lobby of the state building heading toward the front desk. Phoebe was dressed in yet another outfit and wearing spiked-hells, wobbling as she walked. "We're vanquishing a City Councilman? Are you crazy?" Piper asked.

"I saw him posing as a civilian. You were fine with it before." Phoebe argued.

"Yeah, that's because I thought we were going to find him in an alley or a warehouse somewhere, not downtown."

"You insisted that I come home from work so we could deal with it."

"Ok, would you stop clickity-clacking in those things for one second? Look, I want to kill demons just as much as you do, probably even more, but we can't afford to be reckless, especially with Sheridan lurking around."

"Sheridan?"

"Yeah. This morning at the bar?"

"Oh, right. Sorry. I got demon councilman on the brain."

"We really don't want her on our case again." Phoebe stopped and checked her reflection in the fire extinguisher glass. "What are you doing? Are you checking yourself out?"

"Yeah. It's not a crime."

"No, but now is not the time. Don't be so vain."

"I just want to look presentable, ok? Cause we are meeting a Councilman, for god sakes."

"Well, then maybe you should put on a jacket." Piper muttered as they turned the corner.

"Can I help you?" The receptionist asked.

Piper froze the receptionist and everyone there. "No." They headed for the councilman's office. Councilman Wexler was sitting behind his desk going through some papers. The door opened and he looked up. "Excuse me. Councilman Wexler?"

"I'm sorry. Do we have an appointment?" The councilman asked.

"No, Daleek, actually, we don't." Phoebe said. Wexler powered up a fireball and Piper blasted him, but only managed to blow-up his fireball and push him back into the wall. Phoebe threw the potion vial and it hit Wexler, causing him to explode. "Wow! That was awesome. What was in that?"

"Who cares? Let's go." Piper turned and rushed out of the office.

"Hey. What's the rush? Everyone's frozen anyway."

"We don't want to be here when they unfreeze and figure out that their boss is missing." Angel said.

"No one will ever know we were here."

"Famous last words." Buffy muttered.

As soon as they were in the elevator, Angel orbed them back to the house. "You know, I think we should just concentrate on the demon who actually attacked us." Piper said.

"We'll get him." Phoebe assured her.

"When?"

"Well, when I try and get a few more premonitions. I mean, who knows how many demons Zankou has out there."

"But our first demon still has a piece of your hair, and who knows when he's going to use it or come back for more." Angel said.

"Who cares? With a face like this, I could be bald and look great."

"What the hell's gotten into you?" Piper asked.

"What do you mean?"

"What she means is you're walking around like a crazy person." Buffy snapped. "That is when you're not stopping to check yourself out in every shiny surface you walk past."

"Well, I think I'm just a little scattered and overwhelmed, you know, with the column and all these demons and trying to help you find a normal life."

"And I appreciate that, but it doesn't require us going a mile a minute." Piper said.

"Well, you said you wanted to make a statement to the demon world. And what better statement than to kill a lot of demons, right?"

"Right. Where are you going?"

"I'm going upstairs to change my outfit. I've been in this for like the last hour." Phoebe disappeared upstairs just as the doorbell rang.

"I'll get it." Buffy said. She turned and opened the door to find Sheridan on the front porch. "Inspector. Hello."

"Buffy." Sheridan walked into the house uninvited.

"What brings you all the way out here?"

"Well, actually…. this does." Sheridan handed Buffy a security camera photo of herself, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe at the front desk of Wexler's office. "The City Councilman's gone missing, and according to that photograph, the four of you were the last people to see him before he disappeared."

"And you think we had something to do with that?"

"I don't know. Did you?"

"No. We went to talk to him about some branches that were hanging over our backyard."

"That's interesting, considering that he's not really your councilman."

"Which we figured out when we talked to him."

"Oh."

"Satisfied?"

"No, I'm not. First, there's a robbery that doesn't look like a robbery. Then a councilman mysteriously vanishes, and both times, one of you is there."

"Coincidence."

"I don't believe in coincidences. We'll keep in touch." Sheridan left and Buffy closed the door behind her.

Phoebe rushed into the attic in yet another outfit. "Aren't you guys cold?"

Piper was looking through the Book of Shadows. "No, but, then again, we actually have clothes on."

"Yeah, I know, it's kind of skimpy, but it's just so cute, I couldn't help myself."

"Ok, can we get back to the demons?"

"Right." Phoebe walked over to the Book of Shadows. "You betcha. Let's see." She started flipping through the Book and found the page she wanted. They all watched as she placed her hands on the Book and gasped loudly. "Benzor."

"Benzor?" Angel asked.

"Upper-level demon. I saw him posing as a judge, and he probably is working for Zankou, too."

"You got all that from one premonition?" Buffy asked, knowing it wasn't possible because she and Phoebe shared visions occasionally.

"Pretty good, huh?"

Phoebe's cell phone rang, but she didn't move. "Are you going to get that?" Piper asked. Phoebe looked blankly at Piper. "Your phone."

"Oh, right." Phoebe went to her bag, opened it, took out her phone and answered it. "Hello? Dr. Randall? Oh, yes. Dr. Randall. You know what, just do what you want because I don't really care." Buffy saw Piper's head whip up at that. Before she could comment, Chris started crying from downstairs.

"I'll be right back." Piper walked out of the attic, motioning to Buffy and Angel to follow. She turned to Buffy as they got to the kids' room. "Is that Phoebe up there?"

"I don't think so." Buffy said. "She's felt off all day. Like…. Even though she was standing right in front of me, she wasn't really standing right in front of me. You know?"

"No. I'm not one half of a set of twins."

"And the feeling that Phoebe's not here is getting worse by the minute."

"Why haven't you said anything?"

"I told Angel."

Piper looked at Angel. He shrugged. "We don't have an explanation. We were working on one."

"There's someone upstairs." Buffy said, heading back up to the attic. They heard Phoebe talking to someone.

"Phoebe, who are you talking to?" Piper asked.

"Piper, help!" Phoebe cried. Piper, Buffy, and Angel stepped into the attic to find the demon that attacked them standing in front of Phoebe. "Blow him up."

"No!" Piper waved her hands and blew the demon up.

"Phew. That was close, huh?" Phoebe asked.

"That was the demon that attacked us in the club." Buffy said.

"And me in the elevator."

Paige orbed in. "Hey. What's up?"

"Oh, Paige. Good. You're just in time."

"For what?"

"To help us vanquish the demon that's trying to kill us."

"How do you know who it is?" Angel asked.

"Well, the demon we just vanquished said her name. It's, uh…." Phoebe headed over to the Book of Shadows and looked through it, stopping at a page. "Imara. We have to vanquish her right away."

Angel orbed Buffy, Piper, Paige, and "Phoebe" into Imara's cave. Phoebe in Imara turned to look at them. "Well, it took you long enough."

"Actually, I think we're right on time." Imara in Phoebe said, reaching for the potion in her pocket.

"No, don't…."

"NO!" Buffy realized what potion was in "Phoebe's" hand and made a grab for it, but the potion was already hitting "Imara", blowing her up. The real Phoebe's white spirit remained and floated up into the air, disappearing through the ceiling.

"What was that?" Paige asked.

"Phoebe" reached down and held onto a demon's shoulders. "That was Phoebe's soul. We just killed your sister." "Phoebe" and the demon shimmered out of the cave.

"Why did you give her that potion!" Buffy snapped at Piper.

"I didn't know she had it!" Piper said.

"Let's get back to the Manor." Angel said calmly. He took Buffy's hand and orbed them back. Paige orbed Piper back too.

"What's going on?" Leo asked, walking into the sitting room. Piper told him everything that had just happened.

"I told you it was a soul swap, didn't I?" Buffy said.

"I don't think right now is the time for 'I told you so's'." Leo said.

"No, I think now is the perfect time, actually. Why didn't I do something?"

"I don't think beating yourself up is going to do any good." Paige said.

"Besides, how could we have known?" Leo said. "You know? She took over Phoebe's body to kill demons. It's what Phoebe does."

"No, not lately, it isn't." Piper said. "Not with everything going on at work with her."

"I should've done something." Buffy said. "I knew…. I can't believe I didn't…."

Angel pulled Buffy to him and held her tightly. "All right, we should just concentrate on getting her back, ok?"

"Back?" Buffy pulled away from Angel. "Her soul floated away! She's gone."

"Not necessarily. We've dealt with this before, Buffy. You were Death. You know that they can keep themselves from moving on if their will is strong enough."

"Phoebe's definitely is." Paige said.

"Ok, fine. Great. But Imara is still in her body, and I don't see her in a big hurry to give it up." Buffy said.

"Yeah, especially since we blew up her demonic body." Paige said. "Not that I'm saying it's anybody's fault."

"But you could always do another soul swap." Angel said. "Put Phoebe's soul back in her body, and send Imara's essence to, uh…."

"What, oblivion?"

"Yeah, you just have to do the same ritual again."

"That requires a piece of Phoebe's hair, and I don't see Imara letting us get close enough to try." Piper said.

"No, but I think I might know somebody who can." Paige said.

Leo walked toward the potions table where Paige and Piper were working. Buffy and Angel were sitting on the couch and Angel was trying to console Buffy. Her twin was gone, technically, and she could feel it. It was driving her insane with grief and confusion. Paige added ingredients to the boiling pot while Piper looked over the spell. A bright light zoomed in through the door and stopped next to Paige. It was Mitchell, her charge.

He handed her the lock of hair. "She's pretty pissed."

"Thanks." Paige tossed the hair into the pot and it gave off a small explosion.

"Wait." Piper said. Behind them, "Phoebe" shimmered into the room. "Now." Paige and Piper started chanting. "Lock of hair completes our goal, to help us reclaim our sister's soul," "Phoebe" powered up a fireball and threw it at them, but Buffy waved her hand and tossed the fireball into the wall. "Banish this demon, spare no pain, bring Phoebe back from the ghostly plane." There was a small poof as Imara's "soul" was released from Phoebe's body. The black smoke rose up toward the ceiling.

Phoebe's white soul quickly headed downward back into her own body. The real Phoebe looked up. With nowhere to go, Imara's soul let out a painful cry as it sank downward, disappearing into the floor. Buffy was up in a heartbeat, hugging her cousin tightly. "Are you ok?"

"No, I am not ok! How could you not know that thing was inside me?"

"I did! I just…. Didn't want to believe it at first and then I did and…. Oh, don't start with me!"

Phoebe noticed Mitchell behind them. "Who's this guy?"

"This is, um, my first charge." Paige said. "Mitchell. He saved you."

"Oh. Thank you."

"Don't thank me." Mitchell said. "Thank my whitelighter. She saved me."

"He's cute." Phoebe muttered to Buffy.

"She's back." Buffy said happily.

Paige carried her drink over to where Piper, Buffy, and Angel were sitting. "Hey! How'd you fix this place up so fast? Potions? Spells?"

"Even better." Piper said. "Husbands." She patted Angel's shoulder.

"Ooh. Getting the men folk to go to work. Nothing says normal quite like that. And hey, we haven't had a demon attack all day."

"Well, hopefully the demon world took note of our rampage." Buffy said.

"I don't think killing Imara constitutes a rampage." Angel said.

"No, but killing Imara, Daleek, and Benzor does." Piper said.

"Ok, we didn't kill the last two." Paige said.

"But the demon world doesn't know that." Buffy said.

"No, they just think I did it." Phoebe said as she carried her bottled water over and joined them. "Which is fine by me, actually."

"Me, too." Piper said.

Phoebe sat down next to Piper. "Ok, so, you guys want to know what the real Phoebe's going to do next?"

"What?" Buffy asked.

"I've decided that I'm going to go back to college."

"College? Again?"

"Yeah. I think I want to get my graduate degree. This way, the paper'll get off my back, and I can actually get my professional credentials, and who knows? Maybe even be a better columnist."

"What happened to the woman who said her readers didn't care about credentials?" Piper asked.

"Well, as a future psychologist, um, I can honestly say that I…."

"Was swimming in a big bag of denial?" Paige interjected.

"Yes, exactly."

"What about the shrink at work?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think he'll be a problem anymore."

"Well, girls, unfortunately, I think Inspector Sheridan is going to be a problem." Paige said.

"Wait, she's on our case again?"

"And how."

"Well, however she's on there, we'll deal. We always do." Buffy said. "Now, if you'll excuse us, Angel and I have a date."

"A date?" Phoebe smiled. "Really?"

"We haven't been on one in a long while." Angel said, helping Buffy into her coat. "I thought it would be nice to get out somewhere new for a change."

"And this time as husband and wife." Buffy smiled brightly and followed Angel out of the club.


	98. Chapter 98

Chapter 98

Buffy and Piper walked into the attic where Paige was working on a potion and yelling at the cauldron. "Shh! Keep it down. We just got the kids to sleep." Piper said.

"Well, if you were here to help me, you know, that would maybe help." Paige retorted.

"Yes, and I will do that, but first I need to make sure Wyatt's ok at preschool. Have you seen the phone?"

"Preschool? Don't you mean magic school?"

"No, I mean preschool. We enrolled him last week, remember?"

"You didn't tell me that. Did you?"

"Yes, and you said you were worried about him using magic in public."

"Oh. And what'd you say?"

"I said I was worried about him having a normal life."

"Huh. All right. Cool. I'm all up to speed now. It's just with these charges and these demons attacking, eh, I'm a little scattered."

"And that's different how exactly?" Buffy asked, plopping down on the couch.

"I just don't know why the Elders couldn't see fit to give me a local witch instead of a New Zealand witch."

"I don't know, but I need the phone." Piper spotted the phones and walked around Paige to get one of them.

"No! No. No using the phone."

"Why are all the handsets up here?"

"Because I am trying to prevent a demon attack."

"What?" Piper and Buffy asked.

"Look, all the attacks have been different, right? And all the demons have had different powers. The one thing I've noticed is that every time a phone rings, a demon attacks."

"No, they don't." Piper said.

"Yeah." Buffy agreed. "Phoebe called earlier and nothing happened."

"Really?" Paige asked. Just then, the Elders jingled her and Paige glared at the ceiling. "Ugh! Stop the jingling, already. I'll be there as soon as I can. Charges."

The phone rang they all turned to look at the handsets on the table. Suddenly, a demon in sunglasses, a black leather jacket and jeans powered up an energy ball and threw it at them. Paige and Piper both stepped aside and Buffy dove off the couch as the energy ball hit the wall behind them. Piper looked up from the floor and waved her hand at the demon, grazing him in the knee. The demon fell to the floor. Paige picked up a potions bottle from the table and threw it at the demon. The vial hit him in the shoulder but nothing happened. Angel orbed in and the demon powered up another energy ball in the palm of his hand.

"Piper!" Angel called. Piper waved her hands and blasted the demon before he could throw the energy ball. Finally, the demon exploded.

"You might be right about that phone thing." Piper said to Paige.

"Are you guys ok?" Angel asked.

"Unscathed." Buffy said, kissing him. "What are you doing here?"

"I sensed you were in trouble."

Buffy smiled, but it quickly fell as she heard the kids downstairs start crying. She looked at Piper. "I'll go. You call whoever it was back and then turn the phones off."

Angel followed Buffy out. "Turn the phones off?"

"Paige has a theory that every time the phone rings, a demon attacks. And she just proved her point."

"She summoned a demon by calling the phone?"

"No. The phone rang and one attacked." Buffy picked Alex up and Angel got Chris.

"That's weird."

"Pretty much."

"Have you talked to Piper yet?"

"No. I've been trying to bring it up all day, but she's been busy."

"Busy?"

"Ok, this is my family we're talking about. The Powers That Be brought us together like this for a reason. I think Piper isn't going to like us wanting to move out. I've got to approach this with finesse."

"I just think that since Wyatt is in preschool now and Alex is getting used to him being gone part of the day…. It'd be a good idea for us to settle down somewhere less crowded and…. Demon friendly."

"This place isn't demon friendly." Buffy poked Angel's arm. "And I'm not arguing. I agree with you. It's just…. Difficult."

Once the kids were settled and back asleep, the two of them headed back up to the attic.

Piper was just finishing listening to her messages and hanging up. "That was Wyatt's preschool." She said to Buffy. "I wonder what they wanted."

"Well, I am more interested in these demons and what they wanted and try to figure out how to vanquish them." Paige said.

"It just doesn't sound right." Angel said. "Why would demons attack when the phone rings?"

"And they're all different demons. Huh. The last one even looked kind of human. Better add some mandrake root in case they're shape shifters."

"Wait, the last attack happened when the preschool called, too, didn't it?" Piper asked.

"Yeah, I think you're right."

"Do you think Wyatt is creating these demons?" Buffy asked.

"That's ridiculous." Piper said.

"Well, he created the dragons." Paige said.

"One! One lousy dragon. You're gonna hold it against him for his entire life."

Phoebe walked in. "Oh, no. Let me guess, another demon attack?"

"Or Wyatt's acting up again." Paige said.

"Or Paige is overreacting again." Piper said.

"Wyatt has been isolating himself at preschool and only talking to himself."

"Who said he's only talking to himself?"

"I heard the message."

"That's odd." Buffy said.

"No, it's not odd." Piper argued. "Just because he's talking to himself does not mean he's creating demons."

"Except he's kind of quiet around home." Angel said.

"So?"

"So Wyatt's in his second stage of development." Phoebe said. "I mean, his sense of language should be maturing. Which means he should be talking to other people, not just himself."

"I'm very sorry you went back to college."

"I know, but it's really helping with my column. And that has absolutely nothing to do with why Wyatt is creating demons."

"He's not creating demons!"

"Well, let's see. Maybe it's a reaction to preschool. Some kind of Freudian transference or something?"

"Mumbo-jumbo!"

"Look, all I'm saying is, if he's talking to himself, the problems may be normal, not magical."

"Normal problems like what?"

"I have no idea. It could be anything. I could ask my professor. She's the expert."

"But I…."

"Be back soon!" Phoebe called over her shoulder as she left.

Paige spotted Piper picking up the phone. "Hey, what are you doing? Put the phone down."

"I have to call the preschool." Piper said.

"Well, then use your cell phone." Paige grabbed the phone from Piper.

"The truth is we don't know if it's a problem or not." Leo said. He and Piper were standing in the conservatory talking. Buffy was sitting on the floor with Chris in her lap and Alex and Wyatt playing in front of her. Angel was back at P3 working. Leo had gone to the school to check on Wyatt after Piper had called him.

"Well, that's what has me worried." Piper said.

"You know, maybe putting him in a normal school wasn't such a good idea."

"But we agreed it was a good idea. And when we did that we knew there was gonna be some road bumps like this."

"Ok, well, the problem is we don't know if the road bumps are magical or just a normal part of development."

"I wish we could just ask him."

"Ok, well, I think we're a few years away from him giving you an answer."

"Well, especially if he just keeps talking to himself."

Buffy cleared her throat. "Hey, since I've got you guys together…."

Before she could finish, Paige orbed in holding a Maori mask over her face. Piper cried out in surprise and Paige put the mask aside. "Exactly. Ok, I like the Maori people, but, uh, I'm pretty ok if I don't see them again. I think I found out something about who's been attacking us."

"Leo, would you take the kids upstairs so they don't hear the demon talk?" Piper asked.

Leo walked over to the kids and Buffy. Buffy smiled and handed Chris up to him so she could stand up and then he handed Chris back to Buffy so he could pick up Wyatt's Wubby bear. "Ok, buddy, let's go upstairs." Leo said. "Take your Wubby with you." Wyatt took Alex's hand and Leo took Chris from Buffy and they walked upstairs.

"Anyway, as I was saying, I've been searching through the library at Magic School, and I think I found something out about these demons." Paige said.

"And?" Buffy asked.

"And it seems as if their various offensive powers are traditionally associated with good magic."

"Good magic?" Piper asked. "I thought these guys were supposed to be demons."

"Yeah, thought so, too. But it goes to kind of support the theory that Wyatt's creating them."

"Oh, for crying out loud!"

"I'm just saying."

The phone rang and Buffy, Paige, and Piper turned to look at the phone and then around the room for any demon activity. "Oh, this is ridiculous." Piper said. "We can't live like this. It's crazy."

"Where you going?"

Piper opened the drawer to the writing desk and took out a notebook pad and pen. "I'm going to figure out if Wyatt is behind this once and for all." Half an hour later, Piper was finishing the spell. "Shoot. What rhymes with communicate?"

"Are you sure this is a good idea?" Paige asked.

"Of course I'm sure."

"But what about the whole personal gain thing?"

"Wyatt created a demon who kidnapped him and a dragon that nearly destroyed the city. I'm not real worried about personal gain."

"I know. I guess just cause I'm whitelighter now, I have to think of these things, right?"

"Besides, we're casting it on ourselves so we can try to understand what he's not telling us. So if I switch this and I leave that…. ok. Help this mother understand the thoughts inside her little man. Though his mouth be quiet, let us hear his inner Wyatt."

White orb lights appeared and swirled around in the area in front of Buffy. She stood up and stared at them, backing up a little. The orb lights grew brighter and disappeared leaving a young man standing in the conservatory. He saw Buffy first and his face lit up. "Aunt Buffy!" He hugged her tightly and Buffy looked over at Piper and Paige for a clue. "You look amazing as always!" They shrugged and then the man turned and saw Piper. "Mom? It's me…. Wyatt." He went over and hugged Piper. "Mom, look at you! You look great!"

"Right. Ok." Piper said, confused.

"Looks like you guys are as surprised to see me as I am to be back."

"Yeah."

"Back from where?" Paige asked.

"The future." Wyatt said.

"Oh, no! No, no, no!" Piper said. "We wanted to communicate with you! I mean the younger you, the two and a half year-old you."

"Well, if there's one thing you guys taught me, magic may work in mysterious ways, but it always works."

"Where'd you hear that? That's nice." Paige said.

"I'm surprised to hear you ask. In the future you're always telling me that."

"Oh! Well, that's the future me. I, me now, clearly doesn't have those kind of brilliant thoughts."

"Right. Look, all I'm saying is if your spell brought me here, there's gotta be a good reason."

"Well, I don't know." Piper said.

"Oh!" Buffy touched Wyatt's arm. "Do you remember anything about what you were going through when you're were 2 1/2?"

"No, not really."

"Ok then we're still looking for that reason."

"But still this is a fantastic opportunity that magic's brought us. I mean, for me to see the past and for you guys to learn about the future." Future Wyatt, curious at his surroundings, started looking around the Manor, fascinated by being in the past.

"Oh, no, no. No, no, no." Piper said. "We don't want to know anything about the future. We don't want to risk changing it again."

"Again?"

"Don't ask." Buffy said.

"Ok. But until we find out why magic brought me back, we could at least try and enjoy the moment, right?"

"How did you become such an optimist?" Piper asked.

"From you, mom."

Paige let out a laugh. "You must've turned over a new leaf in the future."

"Don't count on it." Piper said. "So that doesn't help us with our Wyatt."

"No."

"Piper, you home?" Phoebe called, rushing into the house. "Ok, the professor gave me some information that I think will be useful…. who is he?"

"Aunt Phoebe, it's me! Wyatt !" He stepped up and hugged her tightly.

"Wy…. what?"

"This is so amazing!"

"What, did a spell backfire?"

"How'd you guess?" Paige said.

"Yeah."

"Yeah, well, you know. What did your professor say?" Piper asked.

"Well, she said that he probably was talking to an imaginary friend. I mean not…. not you. You know, the other you when you were…. this is gonna be so confusing."

"You'll get used to it." Wyatt said.

"Ok, imaginary friends." Buffy said, getting them back on track. "Ring any bells for you, Wyatt?"

"I'm afraid not."

"She also said that he's a little young for an imaginary friend." Phoebe said. "Again, not you, jus…."

"I got it."

"Right."

Paige heard the Elders' jingling. "Ugh! A te wa! Sorry."

"What language is that?" Buffy asked.

"Maori." Wyatt said. "Your New Zealand charge, right? I remember hearing about him."

"Yes, well, he can wait, because I think this is a little bit more important." Paige said.

"I thought you said there was nothing more important than your charges?"

"Look, mister, I'm pulling double duty here, ok? So no guilt from the future for me."

"Ok, you know what?" Piper said. "Can we focus on helping him, please?"

"Look, all I'm saying is that someone always told me that whitelighters are the glue that keeps the magic world working." Wyatt said.

"Oh, Paige told you that?" Phoebe asked.

Paige glared at Phoebe. "Don't be so surprised. Do I ever have a life in the future?"

"You should go, really. We'll figure this out."

"A te wa." Paige orbed out.

"Ok. So you guys cast a spell to communicate with me, right? So let's go talk to me." Wyatt turned and headed upstairs. He got upstairs and turned the corner and saw Leo holding baby Chris and Alex walking next to him. "Dad! Hey, look at you! You have haven't changed a bit! Maybe a little less gray and few pounds lighter."

Leo looks at Piper. "What?"

"Future son." Buffy said, picking up Alex.

"Hey, is this Chris? Oh, my gosh! He's so small. Hey, little brother. Is this before or after he swallowed the marble?"

"Marble? What marble?" Piper asked.

"Easy on the future information." Buffy said.

"Of course, you're right. Oh wow! Look at…. Is this Alex? She's so tiny!" He paused. "Not that she's that big in the future."

"Really? What's she like?"

"Let's just say you and Uncle Angel have your hands full. Where is Uncle Angel? Off helping one of his charges?"

"We're his only charges."

"Oh…."

"No more future talk." Phoebe said. "Don't want to cause any problems in the present."

"But really, what marble?" Piper asked.

"You want to explain what's going on?" Leo asked.

"Apparently they brought me here to figure out what's wrong with me." Wyatt said. "Is that still mine and Alex's room?" He pointed and headed over to his and Alex's bedroom.

Leo turned and looked at Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe. "Explain."

Piper sighed. "I wanted to talk to little Wyatt and so I cast a spell…."

"Which backfired." Buffy added.

"And Wyatt from the future is here."

"Is he talking to someone?"

Piper stopped and listened for a second. "Wyatt? Who are you talking to?" Future Wyatt turned when Piper, Buffy, Phoebe, and Leo walked into the room. "What's going on?"

"That man, you didn't see him?" Wyatt asked.

"See who?" Buffy asked.

"He was just there talking to…. me."

"'Me'?" Leo asked. "What, do you mean you or him?"

"Both." Future Wyatt looked back at his 2 year old self.


	99. Chapter 99

Chapter 100

"Are you two serious?" Piper asked, walking down the party store aisles with Buffy and Angel beside her. Leo was pushing Chris in his stroller while Wyatt sat in the cart Piper pushed. Alex was sitting in the cart that Buffy was pushing.

"Very." Buffy said.

"Absolutely not." Piper said. "You two canNOT move out. You were brought here for a reason."

"Yeah, to get over losing Angel. We never said it was permanent."

"No. No. No. You were brought here to help save the world with us. We're more powerful together. You can't leave."

"We're not going far." Angel said. "We found a house two blocks down from the Manor."

"That's two blocks away! That's not home."

"Piper, I think you're overreacting." Leo said.

"No, I'm not, Leo. They can't leave." Piper turned back to them. "You can't leave."

"Look, Angel's a whitelighter now. He can hear your call. It'll be just like when I was your whitelighter."

"Exactly." Buffy said.

"No. It won't." Piper said. "You're needed here. What about Wyatt? He and Alex grow up together."

"And they will." Angel said. "It's only two blocks away."

"I don't care how far it is. Zankou is still out there. He's still a threat. And as long as he's still out there, you two need to stay put."

"Piper…." Buffy started.

"No buts. Oh, balloons!" She rushed over to start picking out balloons when her phone rang.

The front door opened and Piper, carrying Chris, Buffy carrying Alex, Angel, Wyatt, and Leo walked into the house. They were all carrying plastic bags. "Hello! We're home!" Piper called. "Traffic was horrible. We should've been home an hour ago."

"Well, we wanted a normal life." Leo said. "You wanted to give up the cosmic taxi."

"Well, that doesn't mean I gave up the right to complain about it. Phoebe! Paige!"

"Where do you want the party supplies?" Angel asked.

"Put 'em on the table. I'm not even really sure we're gonna need 'em."

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I don't know if it's right to give Chris a birthday party when Phoebe's friend was just killed."

"Well, we can't put everything on hold every time a demon attacks." Leo said.

"Yeah."

Paige stepped down from the stairs. "Hey. You guys are just getting home now?"

"We started back when you called, but the freeway was a nightmare." Piper said.

"How's Phoebe?" Buffy asked.

"Not so good." Paige said.

"Is she upstairs?"

"No, she's at the morgue. I thought she said you knew."

"How would I know? I haven't talked to her."

"I'm kind of worried about Phoebe."

"Why?"

"Well, I mean, I know we've seen a lot of death, but she's taking this one particularly hard. I was just talking to her on the phone, and she thinks she's, uh, cursed."

"Oh, that's silly."

"Well, I know that, but I'm thinking if we can figure out why this guy was killed, maybe we can prove to her that she isn't."

"Did you find anything out at Magic School?" Angel asked.

"No, and I'm not gonna be able to go back there, either. I have to go meet Joanna."

"Joanna?" Piper asked.

"My new charge. She's a whitelighter to be. She doesn't know magic exists yet, and thinks we're just friends. But the Elders are really worried about her, you know, kind of falling off the path, so I'm just gonna be there to guide her in the right direction."

"Then you should go." Leo said. "The Elders wouldn't worry unless they had a reason. Besides, Piper and I are here. We can help Phoebe."

"What about Chris' party?"

"Uh, I think we're gonna have to postpone it." Piper said.

"What? No." Leo said.

"No, Phoebe would not want you to do that." Paige said.

"I know, but…." Piper started.

"No, look. We can make this work." Buffy said. "I know we can. We'll keep planning the party."

"I'm gonna go meet my charge for a pep talk." Paige added. "By the time Phoebe's back, I'll be home. We can do this." She orbed out.

Piper leaned toward Wyatt. "Mommy wants to teach you a new word. It's called 'denial.'"

Buffy and Angel were laying in bed that night talking about moving. "I know Piper doesn't want to, but we do." Buffy said.

Angel sighed. "Maybe she has a point."

"Oh, no! It's two blocks, Angel."

"I know, but she's right about you four being a lot more powerful when you're together. You said it yourself that you don't need the necklace to use Prue's powers anymore."

"And?"

"That means they've merged with you. It means you're a witch and a Slayer. That's never happened before."

"I know that. I've read the diaries. But it doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything. You could start developing other powers like your cousins. Like Prue did."

Before Buffy could answer, she heard Phoebe screaming in her room from across the hallway. Buffy and Angel bolted out of bed and over to Phoebe's door just as she yanked it open. "Phoebe, what is it?" Buffy asked, grabbing her cousin in a tight hug.

"He was trying to kill me!" Phoebe whimpered.

Angel turned the light on. Aside from the rumpled bed, the bedroom was clear. "Who?" Angel asked.

"Tim!"

"Tim who?" Buffy asked.

"What's going on?" Piper asked, walking out with Leo.

"My classmate, the one that died today…. He was in my room." Phoebe said.

"Are you sure?" Leo asked, looking around with Angel.

"Yes! He was there."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?" Buffy asked. "I have those a lot if I don't save an innocent."

"No! It wasn't a dream!"

"Ok." Buffy hugged her again. "Shh…."

"Phoebe, why don't you sleep with Buffy tonight?" Angel suggested. "I'll stay in here, just in case."

Phoebe nodded and Buffy led her to her and Angel's room just as Paige walked into the hallway. Piper looked at Angel. "See? You guys got to her first. If there was a zombie and you weren't here…. Who knows what woulda happened?"

Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. "Good night, Piper."

Piper carried in three mugs and handed one to Phoebe and one to Buffy who were both curled up on the oversize chair together. Paige was sitting in the chair next to them and Angel leaned against the fireplace.

"I'm telling you, he was there." Phoebe said again. "And he blamed me for letting him die."

"And you're sure you didn't just dream this?" Paige asked as she took the mug Piper handed her.

"Yeah, I'm sure. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Well, it's a valid question considering Angel and Buffy, and Leo and I didn't see anybody in your room." Piper said, sitting down on the couch across from Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige.

"That doesn't mean he wasn't there."

"Ok, but isn't it possible that maybe you were just dreaming?" Angel asked. "I didn't see anything the rest of the night."

"Maybe he's right, sweetie." Buffy said. "Maybe it is your subconscious, because you have been feeling really guilty lately."

"It wasn't a dream." Phoebe insisted.

Leo walked into the room carrying the Book of Shadows. "She might be right. I found something on the undead here in the Book."

"What do you mean, undead like zombies?" Paige asked.

"Yuck." Buffy said. "I hate those."

Leo chuckled and sat down next to Piper. "According to the Book, demonic alchemists have the ability to control the undead, but lack the power to bring them back to life. They need an upper-level demon for that."

"So now we're looking for two demons?" Piper asked.

"Which means Tim will be back because he wants to make me pay." Phoebe said. "Who knows? Maybe I deserve it."

"Phoebs, come on, you can't think like that." Buffy said. "If the demons are behind this and they're controlling Tim, they're just trying to freak you out."

"Well, obviously, it's working."

"Which is exactly why you need to get back to business as usual before you drive yourself crazy." Piper said. "Why don't you go to work?"

"I don't wanna go to work."

"It might not be such a bad idea." Angel said. "It's a public place. Nobody's gonna attack you there."

"Yeah, and as soon as we come up with some sort of plan, I'll come get you." Paige said.

"You're not doing anybody any good like this." Buffy said. "Just get up and go to work."

"Ok. But if you find the alchemist, you have to come get me." Phoebe said.

Paige's cell phone rang. "It's Joanna." She said, getting up to go answer it.

"Now can we cancel Chris' party?" Piper asked Leo. "Before any walking dead crash it?"

"I guess we have to." Leo said sadly.

"Oh, no Piper." Buffy said, turning back from watching Phoebe walk away.

"Well, on the bright side, he's only one. He's not gonna remember it." Piper said.

"We will." Leo said.

"She just got in a big fight with her boyfriend." Paige said, walking back in. "She's really upset. I have to go."

"A lover's spat?" Piper asked. "Is that really something her whitelighter needs to deal with, especially right now?"

"It's her boyfriend. I get a really bad vibe from him. I feel like he's gonna hurt her."

"Then you should go." Buffy said. "And we should call Morris and make sure that Tim's body is still in the morgue…. or not."

"Good plan." Piper said. "See? Yet another reason you're needed here. I wouldn't have thought of that." Piper looked at Leo. "Would you have thought of that?"

Buffy snorted. "It's still not gonna work, Piper."

"I'm trying!"

Buffy laughed. "Am I calling Darryl or are you?"

Leo looked around the old Victorian Manor and nodded appreciatively. "This place is great." He said.

"You think so?" Buffy asked. She had brought her oldest friend down to see her and Angel's new home. "I mean, I know it's a bit of a fixer-upper, but…."

"No, Buffy this is great." Leo smiled brightly. "You'll have this place up and running in no time."

"Yeah, Angel's promised to start working on it this weekend, but I don't know how long he'll take by himself…."

"Of course I'll help."

Buffy smiled and sighed. "Oh, thank you! I know Angel renovated that old mansion in Sunnydale, but…. Well, he was evil. And Angelus did have a little bit better taste than Angel."

Leo laughed. "I don't think he'll do anything that you don't like."

"Good. Now, you've got to work on Piper."

Leo led them over to the old Victorian couch that had come with the manor. "Piper knows this is what has to happen. She's just…. Not very big on change."

"I know that."

"Then you know you've got to give her some time."

"I know that, but…. Leo, I love my cousins. I love my nephews. I love that you all made it my home after everything that happened. But…. I have a family of my own now. I'm married with a little girl and, according to your son from the future and the vision Phoebe and I shared…. We're going to have more kids. The Manor can't hold that many people. Eventually, someone has to leave."

"She knows that."

"And she hates it. I know Piper, Leo. I grew up with her. She's the most stubborn person I know next to my mother and Prue…. And Grams. Come to think of it, my entire family is full of stubborn women." Leo chuckled. "You know, at least we had the decency to tell her. We could've just…. Moved out in the middle of the night. It's not like it would be that hard. I mean, my husband's a Whitelighter. We could've orbed all our stuff out and no one would've known until later."

Leo squeezed Buffy's hand. "I'm glad you didn't do that."

"Yeah, Piper would've never forgiven us."

"Nope."

Buffy sighed and looked around. "So, what should we do with this room?"


	100. Chapter 100

Chapter 100

"Are you two serious?" Piper asked, walking down the party store aisles with Buffy and Angel beside her. Leo was pushing Chris in his stroller while Wyatt sat in the cart Piper pushed. Alex was sitting in the cart that Buffy was pushing.

"Very." Buffy said.

"Absolutely not." Piper said. "You two canNOT move out. You were brought here for a reason."

"Yeah, to get over losing Angel. We never said it was permanent."

"No. No. No. You were brought here to help save the world with us. We're more powerful together. You can't leave."

"We're not going far." Angel said. "We found a house two blocks down from the Manor."

"That's two blocks away! That's not home."

"Piper, I think you're overreacting." Leo said.

"No, I'm not, Leo. They can't leave." Piper turned back to them. "You can't leave."

"Look, Angel's a whitelighter now. He can hear your call. It'll be just like when I was your whitelighter."

"Exactly." Buffy said.

"No. It won't." Piper said. "You're needed here. What about Wyatt? He and Alex grow up together."

"And they will." Angel said. "It's only two blocks away."

"I don't care how far it is. Zankou is still out there. He's still a threat. And as long as he's still out there, you two need to stay put."

"Piper…." Buffy started.

"No buts. Oh, balloons!" She rushed over to start picking out balloons when her phone rang.

The front door opened and Piper, carrying Chris, Buffy carrying Alex, Angel, Wyatt, and Leo walked into the house. They were all carrying plastic bags. "Hello! We're home!" Piper called. "Traffic was horrible. We should've been home an hour ago."

"Well, we wanted a normal life." Leo said. "You wanted to give up the cosmic taxi."

"Well, that doesn't mean I gave up the right to complain about it. Phoebe! Paige!"

"Where do you want the party supplies?" Angel asked.

"Put 'em on the table. I'm not even really sure we're gonna need 'em."

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I don't know if it's right to give Chris a birthday party when Phoebe's friend was just killed."

"Well, we can't put everything on hold every time a demon attacks." Leo said.

"Yeah."

Paige stepped down from the stairs. "Hey. You guys are just getting home now?"

"We started back when you called, but the freeway was a nightmare." Piper said.

"How's Phoebe?" Buffy asked.

"Not so good." Paige said.

"Is she upstairs?"

"No, she's at the morgue. I thought she said you knew."

"How would I know? I haven't talked to her."

"I'm kind of worried about Phoebe."

"Why?"

"Well, I mean, I know we've seen a lot of death, but she's taking this one particularly hard. I was just talking to her on the phone, and she thinks she's, uh, cursed."

"Oh, that's silly."

"Well, I know that, but I'm thinking if we can figure out why this guy was killed, maybe we can prove to her that she isn't."

"Did you find anything out at Magic School?" Angel asked.

"No, and I'm not gonna be able to go back there, either. I have to go meet Joanna."

"Joanna?" Piper asked.

"My new charge. She's a whitelighter to be. She doesn't know magic exists yet, and thinks we're just friends. But the Elders are really worried about her, you know, kind of falling off the path, so I'm just gonna be there to guide her in the right direction."

"Then you should go." Leo said. "The Elders wouldn't worry unless they had a reason. Besides, Piper and I are here. We can help Phoebe."

"What about Chris' party?"

"Uh, I think we're gonna have to postpone it." Piper said.

"What? No." Leo said.

"No, Phoebe would not want you to do that." Paige said.

"I know, but…." Piper started.

"No, look. We can make this work." Buffy said. "I know we can. We'll keep planning the party."

"I'm gonna go meet my charge for a pep talk." Paige added. "By the time Phoebe's back, I'll be home. We can do this." She orbed out.

Piper leaned toward Wyatt. "Mommy wants to teach you a new word. It's called 'denial.'"

Buffy and Angel were laying in bed that night talking about moving. "I know Piper doesn't want to, but we do." Buffy said.

Angel sighed. "Maybe she has a point."

"Oh, no! It's two blocks, Angel."

"I know, but she's right about you four being a lot more powerful when you're together. You said it yourself that you don't need the necklace to use Prue's powers anymore."

"And?"

"That means they've merged with you. It means you're a witch and a Slayer. That's never happened before."

"I know that. I've read the diaries. But it doesn't change anything."

"It changes everything. You could start developing other powers like your cousins. Like Prue did."

Before Buffy could answer, she heard Phoebe screaming in her room from across the hallway. Buffy and Angel bolted out of bed and over to Phoebe's door just as she yanked it open. "Phoebe, what is it?" Buffy asked, grabbing her cousin in a tight hug.

"He was trying to kill me!" Phoebe whimpered.

Angel turned the light on. Aside from the rumpled bed, the bedroom was clear. "Who?" Angel asked.

"Tim!"

"Tim who?" Buffy asked.

"What's going on?" Piper asked, walking out with Leo.

"My classmate, the one that died today…. He was in my room." Phoebe said.

"Are you sure?" Leo asked, looking around with Angel.

"Yes! He was there."

"Are you sure it wasn't just a dream?" Buffy asked. "I have those a lot if I don't save an innocent."

"No! It wasn't a dream!"

"Ok." Buffy hugged her again. "Shh…."

"Phoebe, why don't you sleep with Buffy tonight?" Angel suggested. "I'll stay in here, just in case."

Phoebe nodded and Buffy led her to her and Angel's room just as Paige walked into the hallway. Piper looked at Angel. "See? You guys got to her first. If there was a zombie and you weren't here…. Who knows what woulda happened?"

Angel sighed and rolled his eyes. "Good night, Piper."

Piper carried in three mugs and handed one to Phoebe and one to Buffy who were both curled up on the oversize chair together. Paige was sitting in the chair next to them and Angel leaned against the fireplace.

"I'm telling you, he was there." Phoebe said again. "And he blamed me for letting him die."

"And you're sure you didn't just dream this?" Paige asked as she took the mug Piper handed her.

"Yeah, I'm sure. How many times do I have to tell you that?"

"Well, it's a valid question considering Angel and Buffy, and Leo and I didn't see anybody in your room." Piper said, sitting down on the couch across from Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige.

"That doesn't mean he wasn't there."

"Ok, but isn't it possible that maybe you were just dreaming?" Angel asked. "I didn't see anything the rest of the night."

"Maybe he's right, sweetie." Buffy said. "Maybe it is your subconscious, because you have been feeling really guilty lately."

"It wasn't a dream." Phoebe insisted.

Leo walked into the room carrying the Book of Shadows. "She might be right. I found something on the undead here in the Book."

"What do you mean, undead like zombies?" Paige asked.

"Yuck." Buffy said. "I hate those."

Leo chuckled and sat down next to Piper. "According to the Book, demonic alchemists have the ability to control the undead, but lack the power to bring them back to life. They need an upper-level demon for that."

"So now we're looking for two demons?" Piper asked.

"Which means Tim will be back because he wants to make me pay." Phoebe said. "Who knows? Maybe I deserve it."

"Phoebs, come on, you can't think like that." Buffy said. "If the demons are behind this and they're controlling Tim, they're just trying to freak you out."

"Well, obviously, it's working."

"Which is exactly why you need to get back to business as usual before you drive yourself crazy." Piper said. "Why don't you go to work?"

"I don't wanna go to work."

"It might not be such a bad idea." Angel said. "It's a public place. Nobody's gonna attack you there."

"Yeah, and as soon as we come up with some sort of plan, I'll come get you." Paige said.

"You're not doing anybody any good like this." Buffy said. "Just get up and go to work."

"Ok. But if you find the alchemist, you have to come get me." Phoebe said.

Paige's cell phone rang. "It's Joanna." She said, getting up to go answer it.

"Now can we cancel Chris' party?" Piper asked Leo. "Before any walking dead crash it?"

"I guess we have to." Leo said sadly.

"Oh, no Piper." Buffy said, turning back from watching Phoebe walk away.

"Well, on the bright side, he's only one. He's not gonna remember it." Piper said.

"We will." Leo said.

"She just got in a big fight with her boyfriend." Paige said, walking back in. "She's really upset. I have to go."

"A lover's spat?" Piper asked. "Is that really something her whitelighter needs to deal with, especially right now?"

"It's her boyfriend. I get a really bad vibe from him. I feel like he's gonna hurt her."

"Then you should go." Buffy said. "And we should call Morris and make sure that Tim's body is still in the morgue…. or not."

"Good plan." Piper said. "See? Yet another reason you're needed here. I wouldn't have thought of that." Piper looked at Leo. "Would you have thought of that?"

Buffy snorted. "It's still not gonna work, Piper."

"I'm trying!"

Buffy laughed. "Am I calling Darryl or are you?"

Leo looked around the old Victorian Manor and nodded appreciatively. "This place is great." He said.

"You think so?" Buffy asked. She had brought her oldest friend down to see her and Angel's new home. "I mean, I know it's a bit of a fixer-upper, but…."

"No, Buffy this is great." Leo smiled brightly. "You'll have this place up and running in no time."

"Yeah, Angel's promised to start working on it this weekend, but I don't know how long he'll take by himself…."

"Of course I'll help."

Buffy smiled and sighed. "Oh, thank you! I know Angel renovated that old mansion in Sunnydale, but…. Well, he was evil. And Angelus did have a little bit better taste than Angel."

Leo laughed. "I don't think he'll do anything that you don't like."

"Good. Now, you've got to work on Piper."

Leo led them over to the old Victorian couch that had come with the manor. "Piper knows this is what has to happen. She's just…. Not very big on change."

"I know that."

"Then you know you've got to give her some time."

"I know that, but…. Leo, I love my cousins. I love my nephews. I love that you all made it my home after everything that happened. But…. I have a family of my own now. I'm married with a little girl and, according to your son from the future and the vision Phoebe and I shared…. We're going to have more kids. The Manor can't hold that many people. Eventually, someone has to leave."

"She knows that."

"And she hates it. I know Piper, Leo. I grew up with her. She's the most stubborn person I know next to my mother and Prue…. And Grams. Come to think of it, my entire family is full of stubborn women." Leo chuckled. "You know, at least we had the decency to tell her. We could've just…. Moved out in the middle of the night. It's not like it would be that hard. I mean, my husband's a Whitelighter. We could've orbed all our stuff out and no one would've known until later."

Leo squeezed Buffy's hand. "I'm glad you didn't do that."

"Yeah, Piper would've never forgiven us."

"Nope."

Buffy sighed and looked around. "So, what should we do with this room?"


	101. Chapter 101

Chapter 101

Buffy and Leo walked into the kitchen just as Phoebe was storming out. "Where's Phoebe going?" Buffy asked.

"Probably to a mental institution." Paige said.

"Where have you two been?" Piper asked.

"Looking at a house about two blocks down the street." Buffy said.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"Because she thinks she and Angel are going to move in down there." Piper said.

"I don't think, I know." Buffy retorted.

"You're moving?" Paige asked.

"Planned on it."

"And the house is only two blocks away?" Buffy nodded. "That's awesome. When can I see it?"

"Whenever you like."

"Did you put the kids down for their nap?" Piper asked Leo, cutting the conversation about moving out off.

"Yes, and I started calling all our friends to cancel Chris' party." Leo said.

"Oh, I'm sorry you guys had to do that." Paige said.

"Next year he'll have two." Piper said.

"Well, I have to go check on Joanna, make sure she's ok." Paige said.

"Ok. Hurry back."

"I will." Paige orbed out.

Piper turned to Buffy. "You know, it's probably Zankou making you want to move out. Divide and conquer."

"It's not Zankou, Piper." Buffy said. "This house isn't big enough for two growing families."

"Who says?"

"You know it's true. And you knew this was coming."

"Seriously, Buffy, with everything going on, you're needed here."

"We're not going anywhere right now. The house is in no shape to be moved into yet. Angel's going to start working on it this weekend…."

"With my help." Leo added.

"And we'll move into it in a month or so. You have plenty of time to get used to the idea."

"Doesn't mean I have to like it." Piper grumped.

Buffy hugged Piper. "I know."

Paige stood near the conservatory windows and stared out at the night. She was on the phone waiting for Darryl to pick up. Finally, she hung up the phone and slammed it down on the wicker table. "Daryl's not answering. How can he not answer?"

"I'm beginning to think he can't help anyway." Piper said.

"Well, I have to call the police, ok, because I can't let Karl just get away with this. I should've been there with her. I should not have left her alone."

"You can't blame yourself. You have other responsibilities you can't ignore either." Angel said.

"But you and Leo both said I'm supposed to be able to sense my charges, and I didn't sense anything, so can one of you tell me what the hell is wrong with me."

"Nothing." Leo said. "Nothing is wrong with you. It takes time to form the bond between charges and whitelighters, that's all."

"That's not good enough, because I promised her that I was gonna be there and I failed."

"No, you didn't, sweetie." Piper said. "I think Zankou wants you to think you did."

"Zankou?" Leo asked.

"It has to be him. First, Phoebe's friend and now her charge. That can't be a coincidence."

"What, you think Karl's working with Zankou?" Paige asked.

"I think he is Zankou. Think about it. He knew exactly what he was doing. He's targeting the people in our lives."

"Well, what good would that do?" Leo asked.

"I don't know."

"He thinks if we're rattled enough we'll be vulnerable." Buffy said.

"But no one in your life has been targeted. Or yours, Piper."

"No, not yet." Piper said. "But that's why I need you, Angel, to get Leo and the kids to Magic School right away."

"Look, we've been through this." Leo said. "I'm not gonna run and hide every time a demon attacks."

Piper stood up and walked over to Leo. "Leo, this is not just another demon, and this is not about you hiding. This is about the safety of our family. You need to go now."

"All right. I'll get the boys and Alex." Leo walked out.

"What about the other people in your life?" Paige asked.

"The best way to protect them is to get to Zankou, and for that, we need Phoebe." Piper said.

"I'm going to call Giles and let him know." Buffy said.

"I'll tell Cordelia and Doyle." Angel said. "Call me when Leo's ready." He orbed out.

Piper turned to Buffy. "I want you to go to Magic School with the kids and Leo."

"What? Why?" Buffy asked.

"Because Zankou is powerful."

"So am I."

"I know, sweetie. But this is different. This isn't a demon you can fight like a Slayer. You need to be a Charmed One."  
Buffy shook her head. "I'm not leaving you guys."

Piper hugged Buffy tightly. "Good. I'm glad you're not moving out."

Buffy laughed slightly and pushed Piper away. "I didn't mean it that way."

Buffy paced the Great Hall at Magic School, waiting for word from her cousins. Angel was sitting in a chair watching her and trying to sense the Charmed Ones. Leo was with the kids in the nursery. "What's taking so long?" Buffy muttered.

"They haven't called for me." Angel said.

"That doesn't mean anything." Buffy stomped her foot. "I should've gone with them."

"And done what?"

"Helped! I can't stand this waiting."

"I know you can't."

"Stop being so calm!"

"Buffy, calm down." Angel stood up and walked over to her, grasping her hands. "Everything's going to work out."

"And what if it doesn't?"

"Leo?" They heard Piper yell from down the hall. They turned to see Piper, Paige, and Phoebe rushing through the hallway.

"Still, now that Zankou's got the Book of Shadows…." Phoebe said.

"He can't use all of its powers, not without ours." Piper said.

"Zankou has the Book?" Buffy asked.

"Yes."

"And he could use it to get our powers." Phoebe said. "I mean, it's been done before, right?"

"Look, as long as we're here, we're safe." Paige said.

"Where's Leo?" Piper asked.

"Here." Leo said, walking in. "What's wrong?"

"How are the boys?"

"They're fine. Alex and them are sleeping. Why?"

"Uh, Zankou's got the Book of Shadows." Phoebe said.

"What? How?"

"Well, as soon as we figure that out, we'll let you know." Paige said.

"He broke us down." Phoebe said.

"Ok, but how does that explain…."

"Because your powers are tied to the Book and your emotions are tied to your powers." Angel said.

"Exactly," Phoebe said. "So by making us vulnerable, he…."

"He made the Book vulnerable, too." Leo said.

"I guess he knew us a little better than we thought." Piper said.

"The question is, what is he really after?" Phoebe asked.

"What he's always after…." Buffy said. "Power." She and Piper figured it out at the same time. "The Nexus." They both said.

Piper grabbed a piece of paper and tore it into two parts. She quickly wrote down the spell to stop the Nexus twice and handed a piece of paper to Paige and then Phoebe. "Leo, go to the nursery, please." Piper said.

"What?"

"If we're too late, Zankou will come here. Angel will get you guys out of here before anything happens." Leo sighed and headed back to the nursery. "Buffy, I want you out of the way. If anything were to happen to you…."

"Piper…." Buffy started.

"No, she's right." Phoebe said.

Buffy groaned and walked out with Angel right behind her. She didn't go far, though. They just went to hide in the study. They heard the girls start chanting and then waited.

"I think it worked." Paige said.

"How do you know?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, because if he'd already tapped into The Nexus, he would have broken in by now. Good thing you remembered that spell."

"Everyone ok?" Buffy asked, walking back in.

"For now." Piper said. "We can't just keep casting it because he's gonna figure out a way around it sooner or later."

"Well, we have to get the book back before he does." Phoebe said.

"Ok. Any ideas?"

"Oh, I was hoping you'd have some."

"Me? Why me?"

"Well, because you're the only one who still has any confidence around here."

"Yeah, well, that's just 'cause I'm a good actor."

All three girls looked at Buffy. "I'm not a Charmed One." Buffy said. "Just because I have confidence doesn't mean squat for the Book."

"Buffy can go get the Book." Paige said.

"No." Piper said. "It's too dangerous."

"The Book knows her and she's got the confidence!"

"She's right, it's too dangerous." Angel said. "Zankou is powerful and Buffy doesn't have the power to stop him."

"Well, maybe you can fool the Book, then." Paige said. "Because unless we get our confidence back and fast it may not let us get it back. And if Zankou gets The Nexus first, there won't even be a point of trying."

"Well, we can't let that happen. I mean, if he succeeds, then everything we've done in the last seven years means nothing, and I'm not willing to live with that." Phoebe said.

"Well, you might not have to." Piper said.

"Then we go down fighting."

"Well, which brings us back to how do we stop him?" Paige asked.

"Ok, let's think about this for a second." Phoebe said. "We know Zankou as well as he knows us, right?"

"Yeah. So?" Piper asked.

"So, what is the one thing that Zankou wants more than the Nexus?"

"Our heads on a platter?" Paige asked.

"Exactly. He hates us. He wants to kill us. So why don't we give him a reason, you know, piss him off enough so that the focus is off the Nexus and onto us?"

"It could buy us time to get the Book back. It just might work."

"Yeah, unless he kills us first." Piper said.

Angel sat behind Piper and healed the wound she's gotten trying to steal back the Book. "Does it hurt?" Angel asked.

"Not any more than usual." Piper said. "This is getting old."

"You were lucky to get out of there at all." Leo said.

"Tell me about it." Paige said.

"He threw something at me, maybe a potion or something." Phoebe said to Buffy.

"Did it do anything?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think so."

"Well, at least the magic from the Book isn't available to him yet." Angel said.

"'Yet' being the operative word." Piper retorted.

"Well, we wanted Zankou to focus on us." Paige said. "Now, uh, how do we survive that?"

"You gotta get the Book back." Leo said.

"We tried, but it won't let us take it." Phoebe said.

"Maybe he cast a protection spell on it?" Paige suggested.

"Or maybe the Book doesn't remember who we are." Piper said.

"Maybe it's because we don't remember who we are."

"Well, you've got to remember." Angel said. "Now, you gotta go back. You gotta try again, together."

"Angel's right." Everyone turned to see Sandra the Elder standing there. "You have to get the Book back if only to destroy the Nexus."

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked.

"There's a spell in the Book, one you've never used before, called, 'How to Banish a Suxen.'"

"A Suxen?" Phoebe asked.

"'Nexus' spelled backwards." Leo said.

"It was put in there a long time ago as a last resort, in case we lost control of the Nexus, to keep it from evil." Sandra said.

"But if we destroy the Nexus, good won't have access to it, either." Piper said. "We won't have access to it."

"I don't think the Elders think that we're gonna be around long enough to worry about that." Phoebe said.

"Not necessarily. We're simply taking precautions." Sandra said.

"Including, let me guess, sealing yourselves off from us in case we fail?" Piper said.

"Be well." Sandra orbed out.

"Excuse me?" Paige called. "That's what you're leaving us with? Now what?"

"Well, you can't just give up, that's what." Angel said. Piper started to protest, but Angel cut her off. "Look, I mean it. You can't just give up. Your plan is working. You got Zankou off the Nexus. Now you just need to distract him long enough to get the Book back."

"He's too powerful." Phoebe said.

"The hell he is." Leo said. "Look, you guys are The Charmed Ones. No one is more powerful than you guys are. How many times have you proven that over the years? You can't just give up. Look, you have a legacy to carry on, to pass on to the next generation, to our boys, to Alex, to your future kids…."

"A bit wordy, isn't he?" Paige asked.

"Well, you know him with the exposition." Piper said.

"Doesn't mean he's not right." Buffy said.

"The question is, what's our next move?" Phoebe asked. "I mean, we can't just ask the leprechauns and the trolls for more help."

"But maybe we could ask some bats." Piper said.

Buffy sighed. "Let me guess. 'Buffy, you stay here and guard the kids.'"

"Actually, you're the vampire expert. You're coming with us this time." Piper smiled.


	102. Chapter 102

Chapter 102

Buffy, Phoebe, Piper, Angel, and Paige orbed into the underground caves. Sleeping bats covered the ceiling underside. Buffy sighed. "Man, I really hate these guys. It's not fair they can turn into bats. It makes them harder to kill." She looked at Piper. "Now what?"

"We draw out the Queen." Piper said.

"How?" Paige asked. Piper started blasting the bats hanging from the ceiling. The bats exploded as she hit them one by one. They screeched and scattered, attacking.

They ducked from the bats as Piper continued to blast the bats. "Ok, ladies, a little bit of help here, please." Piper said.

Paige waved her hands at the flying bats. "Bats!" Two bats partially orbed out as they were flying and smashed into the other, exploding. Buffy, Angel, and Phoebe threw a potions vial and hit the bats as they flew past.

The Queen appeared in the cavern. "Who are you?"

"Stop the attack before we kill you, too!" Buffy said.

"Slayer." The Queen raised her hand. "Cease!" All the bats obeyed and settled down on the ceiling. "What do you want?"

"Actually, your help."

"We have something in common: Neither one of us wants a certain demon to take over the underworld, right?" Piper said.

"I'm listening." The Queen said.

"Well, if you help us stop him, you can keep the underworld in disarray like you guys like it, and we'll grant you immunity."

"Immunity?"

"From us." Phoebe said. "We'll never come after your family again."

"And even better, you won't have to answer to Zankou. Interested?" Piper asked.

"Very." The Queen said.

"Ok, well, then follow us." Paige said. She orbed Paige and Piper out while Angel orbed Buffy out. They all orbed back into the attic where Zankou was waiting.

"What took you so long?" He asked.

"Where's the Queen?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, she betrayed you. I got to her first. I knew you were coming, thanks to your premonition powers." He looked at Phoebe. Suddenly, he threw a potions vial at Piper's feet. The white cloud rose up and Piper glowed white as her powers left her. The white orb lights went from her and over to Zankou's hand. "And now I have yours." Piper waved her hands, but nothing happened. "Looking for this?" Zankou blasted Piper, sending her flying backward to the other side of the attic.

"Piper!" Buffy cried. They all rushed over to Piper and orbed back to Magic School.

"Ow." Piper said.

"Ok, easy, easy." Phoebe said. "Let's sit down right here." They led Piper over to the couch.

"All right, a little help here, please, little healing!" Paige said to Angel. Angel was already working on healing Piper.

"Two powers down." Phoebe said.

"Something tells me we're not getting out of this one, girls." Paige said.

"Why does Zankou keep picking on me?" Piper asked. "Why can't he attack one of you four for a change?"

"If it makes you feel better, I think I'm gonna be next." Paige said.

"He must've gotten the potion from the Book to steal our powers." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, well, he's two-thirds of the way there…." Piper said. "That is, unless he's got enough already to get in here."

"Well, he has more access to the Book now, which means he might be able to figure out a way soon." Leo said.

"What about Buffy?"

"What about Buffy?" Buffy asked.

"You've got Prue's powers." Phoebe said. "He has to know about the necklace."

"I destroyed the necklace."

"What? Why? When?" Piper asked.

"About four months ago when I discovered I didn't need it anymore."

"What are you talking about?" Paige asked.

"Prue's powers are apparently mine now."

"Why didn't you tell us?" Piper asked.

"What difference does it make, really? I'm not and never will be a Charmed One. We've tried that."

"But you have powers now!" Phoebe said. "You can go after the Book."

"No." Piper said. "Not even Prue would've gone up against Zankou with just her powers alone."

"Well, we wanted him to come after us, right? Looks like we got our wish."

"We're screwed." Piper said sadly.

Buffy and Angel orbed into their house down the road from the Manor with bags of baby and toddler supplies in their arms. After setting them down in the sitting room, they searched the house high and low. There were no demons there and no sign that they had been there. No one but Piper, Leo, and now Paige knew about the place. And only Leo knew where it was.

Satisfied everything looked good, they went about setting up supplies they'd bought in one of the rooms upstairs. They had two playpens and plenty of blankets and toys. Angel orbed in a cabinet from the Hyperion and stocked it up with diapers, rags, baby wipes, formula, bottles, juice, and everything else they'd thought to get. Finally they went back downstairs and sat on the old couch. Angel had also orbed in a bed upstairs with linen and two overstuffed chairs for the living room.

"It's safe!" Buffy called.

Paige orbed in carrying Chris while Wyatt and Alex stood next to her. Wyatt was holding a large envelope. "Hey." Paige said.

"Ok, you send Angel and I away," Buffy said. "You tell us to make sure our house was safe. You tell us to get supplies for the kids. Now you need to tell us what the hell is going on!"

Piper walked over to Wyatt. "Thank you, sweetie." She took the envelope from him.

"Where are the kids staying?" Paige asked.

"Upstairs." Angel said. "Second door on your right."

"Come on, babies." Paige said, taking the kids upstairs and leaving Piper and Phoebe to talk with Buffy and Angel.

"This place is big." Piper said.

"Yeah." Buffy said.

"It's going to be a good home for your family."

"No more small talk. What's going on?"

"We're running out of time." Phoebe said. "And there's no gentle way to break this to you…."

"In here is the deed to P-3 and the house already signed, our bank accounts, power of attorney, and the schedule for the boys, which you already know." Piper said.

"No. What are you talking about?" Buffy pushed the envelope away from her. "I'm not gonna take that."

"Buffy, you have to." Phoebe said. "We need you to. You're all we have."

"This is our only way out." Piper said. "It's our only choice. Please, for them?"

"What are you saying? I'm never gonna see you again?" Buffy asked, tears falling down her cheeks.

"No. Never say never." Phoebe hugged Buffy tightly. "Not in this family."

Piper joined the hug. "You know that."

"Damn it, you three better come back." Buffy held onto her cousins tightly. "I refuse to go through the pain of losing a sister again, let alone three."

Piper smiled slightly, wiping away Buffy's tears. "I'm going to go check on the boys."

"Where's Leo?" Angel asked.

"He's gone to talk to Darryl." Phoebe said. "Don't worry about him. He knows to come here."

Buffy gripped Phoebe's hand and followed her and Piper up to the kids' room. Paige was sitting on the floor with Alex, Wyatt, and Chris. "Hey." Piper said.

"Hey. How'd it go?" Paige asked.

"As well as can be expected." Phoebe said.

"You know we're doing the right thing." Paige said.

"I hope so." Piper kneeled down in front of Wyatt. "Hey, baby, can I see you for two seconds? Come here, come here. Just two seconds. Come here. Come here. Listen…. I want you to know that mommy will always be close, ok? I will always be with you. Ok, give me a hug. Quick, quick, quick." Piper hugged Wyatt. "I love you so much."

"We have to go, you guys." Phoebe said.

"Ok. Be a good boy." Piper set Wyatt down, then turned to Chris. "Baby, come here. Be a good boy for Aunt Buffy and Uncle Angel, ok? Please, sweet baby? Ok." Piper stood up and carried Chris over to the playpen as Paige stood up. "Let's get this over with." Paige orbed them out, waving at Buffy and Angel.

Buffy looked up at Angel. "Angel…."

"Come here." Angel said, pulling her to him. "It's ok. They'll be ok."

Buffy paced in front of the bay window in the parlor watching down the street and waiting for word from Leo or the girls. Angel walked down the stairs and looked at her. "The kids are sleeping."

"I put crystals around the house." Buffy said. "Even if Zankou or his demons found out about this place, they couldn't get in." She turned and looked up at him. "Any news? Can you sense them?"

"No, sweetie. They blocked me."

Buffy sighed and looked back out the window. Suddenly, sirens came wailing down their street. A line of police officer cars, a yellow special operations delta sector van, a black van, and white van arrived and stopped in front of the Hallwell manor. The back of the black van opened up and SWAT team members, geared up and carrying weapons, ran out of the van.

"Angel!" Buffy yanked open the front door and started to run down the street, but Angel caught her before she could make it down the steps.

"Don't!" Angel pulled her back in. "If they see you, they'll come after you too."

"But Piper and Phoe…."

"Buffy, listen to me. You can't go down there. You've got to let whatever happens happen."

The SWAT members scattered and ran around the Manor. Above them, a helicopter flew overhead. The SWAT members took up position around the house. There were even SWAT members on the roof of the neighboring house. A black humvee with sirens blaring rushed down the street. It stopped in front of the house and an agent got out of the vehicle shouting orders.

"Angel, if they're in there…." Buffy started.

"They'll deal with it." Angel said.

A fireball broke through the roof of the Manor and Buffy and Angel turned back to watch. Buffy spotted Darryl walk up to the agent in charge. "Angel!" She pointed.

"Leo got to Darryl." Angel sighed with relief.

"Where's Leo?" Buffy searched the crowd. "He can't be in there."

"No. The girls said he was ok."

"Then where is he?"

"I don't know, Buffy. We'll find him."

Suddenly, the basement of the manor exploded. White smoke billowed and dissipated around the house. "NO!" Buffy yanked away from Angel and ran down the street.

"Buffy!"

"Piper! Phoebe!" Buffy screamed their names as she ran towards the house. A cop stopped her, but Darryl came to her rescue.

"It's ok. Let her through." Darryl pulled Buffy through the barricade. "Are they in there?"

"Yes."

"Where were you?"

"Angel and I have a house down the street." Buffy pointed to where Angel was guarding the house. "We're moving in this weekend."

"Where's Leo?"

"I don't know. He wasn't with you?"

"No."

The front door was kicked open and Buffy turned to look as armed officers in black stormed through the house in protective gear. Buffy looked at Darryl. "Darryl…."

"Inspector Morris…." A man Buffy recognized as the head agent walked up to them. "Miss Summers."

"Do I know you?" Buffy asked.

"No, but I know you and your cousins."

"Buffy, this is Agent Keyes." Darryl said. "He's with Homeland Security."

"What?" Buffy shook her head. "Homeland Security?"

"What happened in there?" Agent Keyes asked.

"I don't know."

"Were your cousins in there?"

"Yes!"

"Where were you?"

"I was down the street in my new house."

"Yeah, you're new house."

"Yeah." Buffy pointed at Angel waiting on the front porch two blocks down. "My new house. We were moving out this weekend." Buffy turned to Morris. "Darryl, I need to go in there."

"No way." Agent Keyes said.

"God, please! Darryl, I have to know…."

"Let's go." Darryl escorted Buffy towards the house.

Agent Keyes sighed and followed them. He pushed past them and moved into the lead. Ahead of them, emergency personnel in white suits and carrying hand-held devices to measure radioactivity, swept through the main hall. "Watch your backs, team leaders." Keyes called. "Nobody goes in any room alone."

The officers walked into the kitchen and the men in white checked their devices. "Air is good. It's all clear." One of them said.

Agent Keyes removed his mask and motioned to Buffy and Darryl behind him. "What happened?" Darryl asked.

"I don't know yet." Keyes said with a pointed look at Buffy.

Buffy glared at him and then brushed past him, rushing down to the basement. The place was completely decimated. The beams were on fire and the contents turned into rubble. "Oh my god!" Buffy gasped and fell back into Darryl. She started to sob and Darryl pulled her to him.

"My god." Keyes said. "It looks like a bomb went off in here."

"House is secure. Nobody's inside." Someone over the radio said.

"Copy that." Keyes turned to another officer. "What do you have?"

"I have some hydrogen isotopes, plasma, no uranium." The officer said.

"Damn. Nothing. We would've spotted them if they had left the house. There's no way they got out of here alive."

"Could you lay off?" Darryl snapped, motioning to Buffy. He moved Buffy back a little and crouched down. "Buffy, think. There's gotta be another way out of here."

Buffy shook her head. "No. Not out of the basement."

"It's ok. We'll find something. Come on." Darryl led Buffy outside and through the crowd. Angel was already moving towards them. Buffy saw the strange look in his eyes as they approached. "They were in there." Darryl said to Angel, handing Buffy over to him. "The police will want to talk to you guys. Just, go home. I'll be down there in a little bit."

Angel nodded and led Buffy back towards their house, ignoring the news crews settling in. "You're never going to believe this." He said in her ear.

"What's going on?" Buffy was ushered into the house and Angel shut the door behind them. "Angel?"

"Look." Angel pointed to three women standing with Leo in the living room.

"Who the hell are you?" Buffy started to wave her hands, but Angel held them down.

"Don't!"

The three women snapped their fingers and changed into Piper, Paige, and Phoebe. "What…."

"It's all part of the plan." Piper said.

"Plan? What plan?"

"Our plan to die." Phoebe said. "It's the only way to get our lives back. Our normal lives."

"And stop everybody from coming after us, including all of them." Piper said.

"But…." Buffy started.

"No. No buts. We're free. Nobody even knows we're alive anymore, not even the demons."

"They think we died in there with Zankou." Paige said. "They were just our astral selves."

"We've got a clean slate." Piper said. "We can start all over again. No more demon fighting, ever again."

"Maybe for you." Buffy huffed.

"Ok, not for you, but we needed you for cover."

"Thanks."

"You have to admit, Buffy," Paige said. "You've been Slayer light for a long time now."

"Hey!"

"It's true." Phoebe said. "And you haven't been complaining."

Buffy crossed her arms. "I have a daughter."

"And that's ok." Piper said. "We get that. But the demonic world won't be after you."

"They're always after me." Buffy sighed. "I don't know what to say."

"Just say you're ok with it."

"So we can get the next generation ready to pick up where we left off." Phoebe said.

Buffy sighed. "Yeah. Ok. Fine."

"How do I do it?" Leo asked.

"You don't." Piper said. "We do."

"Don't worry. We'll make you good-looking." Paige said.

The three snapped their fingers and changed back into their disguises. Piper snapped her fingers and changed Leo into a new man. "Cute. I can live with that." Piper giggled.

Buffy groaned. "Piper!"

"What?"

"Is this just your way of making us stay at the Manor?"

Piper laughed. "No. I want you guys to fix this place up. It's…. nice. It suits you both. In fact, I think, since we'll have all this time on our hands, maybe we'll even help you fix it up."

"Thank you." Buffy hugged Piper and then pulled Phoebe and Paige in. "I am so glad you guys aren't dead. I would've brought you back and killed you myself if you had gone out like that without me."

"So, when do we get our house back?" Paige asked.

Buffy laughed. "Ha! It's my house now. Piper gave me the deed."

"That's not funny." Phoebe said. "That's _not_ funny."

"Oooh, but it is."

"It's a little funny." Leo said, starting to laugh. The others finally joined in and all six of them ended up sitting on the floor holding their stomachs and laughing so hard they were crying.


	103. Chapter 103

Chapter 103

The Manor was filled with mourners, well-wishers, and guests. Giles, Willow, Tara, Xander, Cordelia, and Doyle had all come down with Joyce. Buffy stood with Victor watching everything. Angel and Joyce were talking by the food table and keeping an eye on everything.

On the hallway table, there was a guest book and a basket of white, long-stemmed roses. On one of the tables was a framed photo of Piper smiling. On each side of the photo were lit candles. There was a small crowd surrounding her table with people leaving the long-stemmed white roses on the table in front of the photo.

On another table was a framed photo of Phoebe. It was set up just like Piper's memorial and a small crowd had gathered around there too. Long-stemmed white roses were resting on the table in front of the photo. On Paige's table, there were two white roses. A very short man walked up and placed a third white rose there. Other than him, there was no one else at her table.

Piper, in her disguise, walked up to Buffy. "Pretty good turn-out, huh?"

"Phoebe?" Victor asked.

"No, dad, I'm Piper." Another dark-haired woman walked up to join them. "That's Phoebe."

"I can't believe how many leprechauns are at my urn." Phoebe said.

"Well, they always had the hots for ya." Buffy joked.

"It's kind of creepy, but I guess you can't be too picky when you're dead."

"Hey, you guys are driving me crazy, you know that?" Victor said.

"Keep your voice down, will ya?" Piper said. "And look a little more bereaved. Agent Keyes is watching."

"Don't worry. He'll never figure us out. How could he?" Phoebe said.

"Hey, I still can't figure it out." Victor said.

"Well, at least we're alive, and, more importantly, free." Piper said.

"Yeah, but do you have to keep changing your looks all the time?" Buffy asked. "I mean, just pick one and stick with it, would you?"

"Why? It's fun." Phoebe said.

"Poor Paige. Not a lot of people at her urn." Piper said.

"I know. Good thing she's not here to see that." Buffy sighed.

"Excuse me." They all turned and gasped. Janice Dickenson walked into the foyer. "Excuse me." She pushed her way between a man and a woman in the foyer and sauntered past Buffy, Phoebe, Victor and Piper.

"Whoa. What's Janice Dickinson doing here?" Angel asked, walking over to them.

Buffy looked at him in surprise. "How do you even know who she is?"

Before Angel could answer, Janice Dickinson walked up to Paige's table. "Oh, Paige." She cried dramatically. "You were the best friend I ever had! What am I doing to do without you?"

Buffy rolled her eyes as Phoebe and Piper walked up to "Janice". "Can we talk to you a minute?" Piper hissed.

"In private." Phoebe added.

"Excuse me!" Paige cried. "What are you doing?" Buffy followed them into the kitchen, waving Angel and Victor away. "What is the meaning of this? Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Yeah. As a matter of fact, we do…." Phoebe said. White orb lights swirled around Phoebe and she changed into her true self. "Paige."

"I'm sorry. Who?"

White orb lights swirled around Piper and she changed back into her true self. "Nice try. Jig's up."

"Oh, all right then. Fine." White orb lights swirl around "Janice" and she changed back into Paige. "Well, somebody had to cry at my funeral, didn't they?"

"We were supposed to keep a low profile. What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that I obviously spent too much time in the magical world because nobody even cares that I'm dead."

"That's not true." Phoebe said. "You have mourners. I mean, there are lots of leprechauns out there."

"I mean real people."

"Well, there was your friend Glenn." Buffy said.

"Yeah, Glenn was at your urn, and Ruthy our neighbor." Phoebe said.

"No, she was just going to get coffee." Paige grumped.

"Oh, really?"

"My point exactly."

Just then, a man walked into the kitchen. Phoebe gasped and looked at the man. "Oh, my God. We can explain. It's, um…."

"Don't bother." Piper smiled and white orb lights surround the man and he changed back into Leo.

"Oh, you scared me. I thought we were busted."

"Well, you're gonna be if you don't change back." Leo said. "What are you doing?"

"Apparently having an identity crisis." Piper said.

"Oh, so it's ok for you to change your husband into…." Paige suddenly cringed, her fingers pressing hard against her temple. "Ow."

"What's wrong?" Phoebe asked.

"It's that jingling in my head."

"Does that mean the Elders know she's alive?" Buffy asked.

"No, they can't." Piper said. "We cloaked ourselves from them."

"It could be a new charge." Leo said. "You know, a connection to one's Whitelighter is automatic."

"Ok, well, just ignore it."

"Easy for you to say." Paige said. "You are not half Whitelighter, ok? Maybe it's one of the mourners. Could be a demon out there." Paige rushed toward the door to look and Phoebe tried to stop her.

"No. No demons." Phoebe said, pulling Paige back into the kitchen.

"Why? It makes sense, doesn't it? I mean, they'd probably want to find out if we're really dead. Or they could be going after Buffy."

"It doesn't matter. We're retired. We don't do demons anymore."

"She's right." Piper said. "You're just gonna have to forget about it."

"Not so easy with the jingle jangle."

Phoebe went back to the kitchen door and poked her head out of the kitchen. "What is he doing here?"

"'He' who?" Buffy asked, poking her head out.

"I didn't even think he knew I existed."

"Who is he?"

"I don't know his name. It's some guy that I used to see in the elevator all the time at work."

"He's kinda cute."

"Yeah."

"Ok, people, morph now, ogle later." Piper said. "Come on, we can't risk being caught. Choppity chop chop chop!"

"I'll go back out there." Buffy walked out and barely made it past the doorway to the foyer when Elise grabbed her into a hug.

"Oh sweetheart!" Elise cried. "I can't believe it. Are you ok?"

Buffy put on her heartbroken face. "I just don't know what I'm going to do without her."

"Oh!" Elise hugged her again. "You poor dear. You and Angel are just starting your lives together and then this tragedy…."

"It's hard, but we're making it. My…. Other…. Cousins are here to help us and Uncle Victor and my mom are helping out."

"You know, Phoebe never saw you as a cousin. She always said you were her sister. I don't think she ever told anyone about you without referring to you as her sister."

"We were always like twins growing up."

"That's what she said. Oh…. You know, I don't know if Phoebe ever thought of me as her friend…. but I always thought of her as mine."

"I know for a fact she's really glad you're here, Elise." Buffy paused. "When I say 'I know,' I mean in the ethereal sense, of course. Channeling, sensing…. Like twins do."

"Of course." Elise turned around and looked at the little people at Phoebe's table. "I never realized she knew so many little people, though."

"Yes." Buffy noticed a handsome black man she didn't recognize talking to Angel and Victor.

"You must be devastated, Mr. Bennett." The man was saying when Buffy walked up.

"Yeah." Victor said, glancing at Buffy.

"Especially considering how it happened. Was there ever an official cause of death?"

"Excuse me?"

"Uh. Forgive me for prying. It's just that the news always made it sound so mysterious. And with no remains…."

"I'm sorry, who are you?" Buffy asked, interrupting.

"Haas. Paul Haas."

"And you knew my sisters how?"

"By reputation. Tell me, did the police ever find Leo by any chance?"

"No, they think he died in the accident as well."

"And now you have to raise those boys and your little girl all by yourselves…. in this huge house. If you find that you need to sell it, though, let me know. I'd be glad to help." He gave Buffy his business card.

Buffy looked at it incredulously. "You're a real estate agent?"

"I specialize in the moving of problem properties. You know, where people have died. Buyers tend to be a little queasy."

"Get out." Buffy smacked the card into Paul's chest.

"Again…. my condolences." Paul Haas walked away.

Buffy looked at Angel. "He was a demon."

"How could you tell?" Victor asked.

"Instinct. Uncle Victor, if anyone you don't recognize approaches you like that…."

"I know. I'll be careful."

"Just…. Yell for Angel. Please?"

Victor hugged Buffy. "Of course, sweetheart."

"Thank you."

"I think it's finally ending." Joyce said, walking up with some dirty plates.

Buffy noticed the guy Phoebe had been talking about still standing by her table. "Good. I can't wait to get out of these heels." She kissed her mother's cheek and walked over to the man. "Hi. I'm Buffy. Phoebe's…."

"Sister." The man said.

"Well, cousin by blood, but sister in every other way that counts…. Counted."

"It's nice to meet you. I'm Dex Lawson."

"So, Dex, how well did you know Phoebe?"

"Not as well as I'd like to, but I, uh, loved to read her column."

"Really?"

"Yeah, every day. Could never get over how somebody as beautiful as she was could be so incredibly insightful."

Phoebe in disguise joined them. "You don't say?"

"Do you mind?" Buffy said, poking Phoebe in the ribs.

"It's all right. I've got this. You were saying, about Phoebe?"

"Just that, uh, I thought she was great. Really great." Dex said.

"Then why didn't you ever ask her out?" Phoebe asked.

"What?"

Piper in disguise swept into the room and hurried Dex out of the house before Phoebe could say another word. "Thanks for coming! Sorry you have to go! Ok. Buh-bye." She closed the front door behind him and rounded on Phoebe.

"Piper, what are you doing?" Phoebe demanded.

"What are you doing? You can't pick up on a guy at a funeral."

"Why not? It's my funeral."

In the other room, Wyatt was crying and they could hear Joyce trying to comfort him. Piper rolled her eyes at Phoebe, then headed into the next room to check on Wyatt. "It's ok, sweetie. Mommy's right here." Wyatt looked sadly at Piper-in-disguise, not recognizing her. "Wyatt, honey, what's the matter?"

Buffy walked in and Wyatt went over to her, hugging her leg. "He doesn't know it's you, Piper." Buffy said, picking him up.

Leo and Paige walked in as themselves. Angel was right behind them holding Alex. Leo smiled at Wyatt and took him from Buffy. "It's ok, buddy, all right? Daddy's here, ok? We're all here."

White orb lights swirled around Piper and Phoebe and they both changed back to themselves. "Mama." Wyatt said happily.

"Ok? See?" Leo said.

"Poor little guy. He's confused." Phoebe said.

"He doesn't know what's going on, neither does baby Chris or Alex." Buffy said. "All this changing makes them nervous."

"Yeah, maybe we didn't exactly think this thing through." Paige said.

"We didn't have time to think it through." Piper said.

"Well, it's too late to go back now, so what do we do?" Leo asked.

"I think I have an idea. Follow me." Phoebe said. She turned and hurried out. They all followed her to the attic and found Phoebe opening the big trunk. "Ok. It's a good thing we kept this." From underneath some things packed away, she took out the Book of Shadows. Leo put Wyatt down on the floor as Phoebe went to put the Book on the book stand.

"Yeah, but we're not supposed to use it." Piper said. "The more magic we use…."

"The more likely the demons are to find us out." Paige finished.

Phoebe opened the Book of Shadows. "We didn't say we'd never use magic again. Besides, I think we really need this spell."

"Why? What'll it do?" Leo asked.

"End our confusion, hopefully. I've been thinking about it for the last couple of days, and all we need to do is each of us needs to come up with one look, one disguise that we want to project to the rest of the world."

"You mean like a permanent permanent one?" Paige asked.

"That's the idea."

"Now, how is that gonna end the confusion, especially for the boys and Alex?" Victor asked.

"Oh, because they won't see the disguises, neither will any of us. Ok, just trust me. You guys have a look in mind?"

"Yeah, you know what? Nothing flashy, either." Piper said pointedly to Paige.

"Ok, ready? 'I call upon the ancient powers to mask us now and in future hours. Hide us well and thoroughly, but not from those we call family."

"Did anything happen?" Joyce asked.

"Do we look the same?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah." Victor said.

"Maybe it didn't work." Leo said.

Phoebe and the others turned and looked at their reflection in the mirrors, seeing their new selves. "It definitely worked." Phoebe said.

"Oh, my goodness, is that me?" Paige asked.

"Is it the you you envisioned?" Piper asked.

"Hey, I thought you said no flash!" Paige said, pointing at Piper's blonde hair.

"It was the first look that came to mind." Piper protested.

"I like it." Leo said.

"How is it you can see your other selves reflected in the mirror?" Angel asked.

"It's part of the spell." Phoebe said.

"You know, this just might work." Piper said.

Paige cringed again. "Ohh! The jingle again. Do you think this means something bad is gonna happen?"


	104. Chapter 104

Chapter 104

Leo, Piper, and Paige sat at the table writing on slips of paper. Buffy and Angel were sitting with the kids on the couch while Joyce and Victor were downstairs cleaning up. Phoebe started gathering the slips of paper and grabbed Paige's first. "Ok." Phoebe said.

"Hey, I'm not done." Paige protested.

"Doesn't matter. You are now." Phoebe walked across the room over to the potions table. "It's an identity, not a novel. As long as these reflect who we're trying to be, and where we've come from, we're all good. Ok, Julie, nice. Jo, Jenny…. Louis?"

"Louis. You know, like Louis Armstrong." Leo said. "You know, the great satchmo? The trumpeter?"

"Yeah. I think dad used to listen to him." Piper said.

"I liked him, Leo." Angel said.

"Thanks." Leo said.

"Ok, if you can deal with it, so can the government." Phoebe said. She put the slips of paper into the potions pot and added a pinch of something. The contents exploded and a cloud of white smoke rose up. "Voila! New identities."

"Are you sure?" Buffy asked.

"Only one way to find out." Phoebe pulled Buffy to her feet eagerly. "Let's go shopping!"

"No." Piper said.

"Yep. Come on."

"No. Wait. No."

Buffy glanced helplessly back at Angel for help, but he just smiled and waved. "Come on!" Phoebe said excitedly. "We have seven years of lost time to make up for. We have to start somewhere."

"Uh, yeah, I know, but…." Piper started.

"No buts. We are free. Do you have any idea what that means? It means no more demons, no more cops. We can do whatever we want."

"I know. I know, but still…."

"Would you please talk some sense into this woman?"

"You know what occurred to me?" Paige asked. "That real estate agent you were talking about, Buffy? If ya think about it, he may be a…."

"Oh, my God! If you say the D word, I might implode."

"Well, actually, he was." Buffy said.

"Are you kidding me!"

"No. But I'll deal with it."

"What?" Piper shook her head. "No. I don't think so."

"It's ok. He was just a lowly demon. Nothing I can't handle."

"Come on, you guys, what's wrong?" Phoebe said. "I mean, isn't this what we wanted?"

"Yes. It's just… it's not as simple as I had hoped, that's all." Piper said.

"You know why? Because you haven't been out yet, and you will feel so much better in a new pair of shoes."

"I don't need new shoes."

"That's the old you talking. Come on, you guys, can't we just at least try to have fun? Don't we owe ourselves that much?"

"Yes, we do…."

"That's the spirit. Paige? I mean, 'Jo'? The shoes are on me."

"Um, I may just stay here and relax a little." Paige said.

"Relax. I like it. Relax. Come on." Phoebe grabbed Buffy and Piper and pulled them to the stairs, leaving Paige behind.

"Tell Angel not to forget the electrician is coming by our house today!" Buffy called back to Paige.

"Ok." Paige waved as they were pulled out of site.

Their arms full of shoe box bags, Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe exited the shoe store and walked down the sidewalk. "He was not hitting on me." Piper said.

"He was, too." Phoebe said. "He was practically drooling on you."

"Ok, first, I'm married. Secondly, he's a salesman in a women's shoe store. What are the chances he's not gay?"

"Who cares? Just enjoy. That's our new mantra, right?"

"I don't know how long I'll get to enjoy these shoes." Buffy said. "Angel's going to flip when he finds out how much I spent on shoes alone."

Piper stopped and looked at her new reflection in the store window. "Maybe Paige is right. I don't think this new look is me."

"I think you look hot." Phoebe said.

"Easy, sis. Don't creep me out."

"Hey, we're not sisters anymore, remember? We're cousins."

"Still creepy." They started walking down the sidewalk. "Isn't there any part of you that doubts your decision at all?"

"No, I mean, I like both pairs of shoes, so I bought both pairs of shoes."

"No, not the shoes. The pretending to be dead to the rest of the world."

"Oh, well, yeah, I mean, obviously there were certain aspects of my life that I really liked, but I couldn't fully enjoy it because of all the witch stuff."

"Yeah, but the witch stuff is who we are. I mean, we can't just walk around pretending we don't have powers anymore."

"Yeah, but Piper, nobody is saying that we have to. We just don't have to use our powers every other week to save the world. That's the only difference."

"That and the fact that the last three decades of our life are suddenly gone."

"Well, we have to give up something to gain something. Look, you wanted a normal life more than all of us. Right? So what's changed all of a sudden?"

"I'm a little neurotic. What do you want from me?"

"That's not it. What else is it?"

"It's just it's a big change, and I don't do change very well. So, you know, just let me freak out for a little while and then, you know, I'm sure I'll be fine."

"Ok. You wanna go get our eyebrows plucked?"

"Gee, I'd love to, but, uh…. No, I gotta go check on P-3 and make sure dad hasn't done a lot of damage." Piper handed her packages to Phoebe. "Besides, it's gonna be the only thing that will pay for all these shoes."

"You worry too much, missy."

"Uh-huh." Piper crossed the street.

Phoebe turned to Buffy. "You're ok with this, right?"

Buffy shrugged. "Why wouldn't I be?"

"Well, you didn't die with us."

Again, Buffy shrugged. "Someone had to stay behind and make sure things got dealt with. I was the easiest choice."

"But you're still the Slayer."

"And I'll always be the Slayer." Buffy sighed. "I had the chance to give this up a long time ago and I turned it down. I like being the Slayer. And I can't, in good conscience, ignore the ones I was meant to protect."

"Do you think that's what we're doing?"

"Not entirely."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means: I get where you're coming from. A normal life would be great. But that's not who you are. You're the Charmed Ones. You help the helpless like Angel and I do. I just don't see how a normal life fits in."

Phoebe sighed, staring at a billboard with Ask Phoebe on it. "We're going to find out."

Buffy smiled. "Come on. You can help me pick out carpets and furniture for the new house."

Piper was behind the bar typing on the computer, checking on the status of the club. "One week. One lousy week. Are you kidding me? Barry Manilow? Angel, you booked Barry Manilow? What were you thinking? How could you let him, Buffy?"

The front door closed and Dominic walked down the stairs. "Hello?"

"Dominic, thank God you're here. Are these all the receipts for the last seven nights? Has everything been entered?" Piper asked him, forgetting he didn't recognize her.

"I'm sorry. Who are you?"

"Uh…. I'm…. I'm Julie. I mean, Jenny Bennett. I'm, uh, Victor's cousin…. niece. I'm Victor's…. niece. Buffy's cousin."

"Ok. So what are you doing with our computer? And how did you get the password?"

"Buffy gave it to me. Excuse me." Piper disappeared behind the counter as she removed her new shoes. "New shoes. They look a lot nicer than they feel."

"So you work here now?"

"Uh…."

"Yes." Angel said, walking out from the manager's office. "She does. She's helping out."

"Oh. Ok."

"Buffy thought it would be the best thing. It gives everyone something to do to keep their minds off…. Things."

"Yeah. That's cool man. How's Buffy doing?"

"She's holding up. Uh, Julie took her out shopping for the new house."

"That was sweet of her."

"Yeah."

As soon as Dominic was gone, Piper turned and looked at Angel. "You weren't here before."

Angel smiled. "I felt your distress and orbed into the office."

"Thanks."

"You're welcome."

Piper's phone rang. "Hello? What? Wait. Wait. What? Leo, we're not supposed to have family emergencies anymore. We're done with that. All right. Fine. I'm coming, but you need to come down here and find a way to save our financial butts." Piper reached down and removes her other shoe with one hand while closing the phone with the other. "By the way, Barry Manilow?"

Angel shrugged sheepishly. "I'm a fan."

Piper groaned. "That's fine. We'll figure out a theme or something for that night. But from now on, listen to what your wife has to say. She's younger and…. Hipper."

"I'm hip!" Angel protested, following Piper out.

Paige was sitting at the table scrying over a map. Piper and Phoebe walked into the attic with Buffy and Angel behind them. "Are you out of your mind?" Piper cried.

"Leo told us you fought a demon." Phoebe said.

"I can explain." Paige said.

Piper grabbed the crystal from Paige. "What is this? What are you doing?"

"I am trying to find a girl."

"Ok, look, we have been through this, ok?" Phoebe said. "If anyone finds out we're alive, we're screwed."

"Do you have a death wish? Is that the problem?" Piper asked.

Paige stood up. "Ok. Would you two please just be quiet for a minute and let me explain? Thank you! First of all, I did not intentionally engage a demon."

"Oh, don't say engage." Phoebe said. When Buffy gave her an inquiring look, she said, "Don't ask."

"Look, I just had the ringing in my head, and…. and I just figured if I answered, that maybe, you know…."

"You're not supposed to respond to anything anymore." Piper said.

"Look, it's very hard not to respond to a call for help."

"Paige, you have to!" Phoebe said. "Ok, we've had this conversation."

"I know we have, but it's not that easy."

"Ok." Buffy yelled. They all looked at her. "Everybody just calm down a second. Did you at least vanquish the demon?"

"No." Paige sat back down. "But on the bright side, he did not know who I was."

"Well, that's good, at least." Phoebe said.

"What happened to the demon?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. This chick came along and scared him off."

"What chick?"

"I don't know who she was. She just showed up right after I got there."

"Do you think she was a witch?"

"I don't know. Maybe."

"Maybe she was the one that called you." Angel said.

"No, this girl definitely did not need my help."

"Could have been a bad witch." Phoebe suggested.

"And if that's true, and she figures out who we are…." Piper started.

"I'm telling you she was after the demon." Paige interrupted. "She was not interested in me."

"Still, she could have ID'd you, and that would have been very bad!"

"Oh, for crying out loud! Give her a break, will you?" Grams said behind them, appearing out of nowhere.

"Grams." Phoebe said. "What are you doing here?"

"Well, I'm trying to keep you two from ganging up on her, that's what."

"Well, you're sort of dead, so this doesn't really concern you." Piper said.

"It does when my legacy is at stake."

"Oh, please I think we've paid our dues." Phoebe said.

"And I'm not saying that you haven't. You have every right to want to live normal, unencumbered lives, but just because you want to doesn't mean you can."

"You're a little late with that speech." Piper said. Phoebe just glanced at Buffy guiltily.

"Well, perhaps for the two of you, but not for Paige. Whether or not you succeed remains to be seen, but you cannot deny that she is being called by somebody." Grams looked at Paige. "And you can't deny it, either."

Paige winced. "You're right. I can't deny it, especially not right now."

"Now, take a cue from your darling cousin, here," Grams kissed Buffy's cheek. "And learn to balance. Please. Before you destroy the Charmed Line."

Just then, explosions sounded from downstairs. Grunting, moaning and more crashing sounds followed. "That doesn't sound good." Phoebe said.

"No, it doesn't!" Piper agreed as they headed for the door.

"Thank you for coming." Paige said, running out after the other four.

They reached the top of the stairs just as Victor was rushing up the stairs, pushing Joyce in front of him. "Hey! Thank her for us, will ya?" Victor said, moving past.

"What? Who?" Buffy asked.

Suddenly, a demon went flying backward through the air. He smashed against the wall and exploded into flames. "Where did he come from?" Phoebe asked.

They looked downstairs in time to see a demon throw a fireball at a girl dressed in all black. She jumped and flipped over the couch and over the fireball. She landed in front of the demon, whipped out an athame, and stabbed him in the gut. The demon exploded in a burst of flames. Back in the conservatory, Paul Haas got to his feet.

"Behind you!" Buffy called. Haas turned and saw them on the stairs. Paige, Phoebe, and Piper all ducked behind the banister.

The girl in black turned and threw her athame at Haas just as he flamed out. The athame whizzed clear through him and hit the wooden conservatory door frame. She held out her hand and the athame flew back to her, grip first. She caught it and tucked it back into her boot holster. "Thanks." She ran, jumped, flipped back over the couch, and quickly ran out the front door, disappearing into the night.

"Show-off." Piper muttered.


	105. Chapter 105

Chapter 105

"Well, she can't be all bad." Paige said. "She said 'thank you.'" She, Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, and Angel were sitting in the living room discussing what had just happened.

"We don't know what she is." Piper said.

"She didn't exactly stick around long enough for us to ask." Angel said.

"You got to admit, that was a nice flip, though." Buffy said.

"Nice attitude." Piper said. "She didn't even care that we saw her use her powers. What was that?"

"I think that's because she was tracking the first demon." Paige said. "I mean, he was the same one she was after before."

"I also think she may be your new charge." Angel said.

"Huh?"

"It's the second time she's showed up right after you got a call."

"Which means she probably knows who we are, and she could expose us." Piper said.

"She was after the demons, not us."

"And the demons were going after dad, and he should be our main concern right now." Phoebe said. "Not this…. Supergirl."

"Well, the question is why were they after him in the first place?" Buffy asked.

"Who knows? Maybe to get to the kids or the house as some kind of trophy? The point is, we're gonna have to go after the demon."

"Even if it risks exposing us." Paige said.

"We may have already been exposed."

"No, I don't think so." Piper said. "We were disguised to him. And besides, we didn't use our powers. The problem is we can't just vanquish the one demon. We're gonna have to make some sort of a statement. Otherwise, what's to keep the entire underworld from coming after dad again and again? And for that matter, coming after Buffy and Angel again and again?"

"Well, here's our conundrum, people. How do we make a statement without letting them know it's us?" Paige asked.

"You don't." Buffy said. She looked at Angel. "We do. We've got to show them that we're a hell of a lot more powerful than they give us credit for. That we're no longer hiding behind the Charmed Ones anymore."

"You weren't hiding…." Phoebe started.

"No. But that's how they see it." Angel said. "We haven't exactly been that active since moving here."

"So what are you going to do?"

Buffy stood up. "Show them how powerful a Slayer-turned-witch and a whitelighter can be."

The front door opened to Buffy and Angel's house two blocks from the Manor and Buffy walked in. She switched the lights on, smiling that they had electricity now. She closed the door and put her keys in the tray on the table by the door. The furniture she and Phoebe had picked out earlier in the day had been delivered that afternoon with a little monetary persuasion. Angel had orbed it around to his liking, but Buffy planned to rearrange it tomorrow.

"I knew you'd come home sooner or later."

Buffy turned to find Haas standing in her sitting room. Two more demons shimmered into the room. She rolled her eyes. "You again."

"Yep, me again. Just out of curiosity, Buffy, who are all those women at the house? If you tell me, I promise to make your death relatively painless."

"I hear that a lot."

"Believe me, considering all the pain you and your cousins have caused over the years, that would be a gift. The women, who were they?"

"Don't know who the young one was, but the others were cousins. They're moving into the Manor."

"No, they're not. I am."

"Last time I checked, you didn't have the deed."

"That'll change soon enough."

"Doubt it." Buffy waved her hand at Haas and slammed him back against the far wall. One of the other demons powered up and threw it at Buffy. Buffy easily redirected the power ball at the third demon who exploded upon impact. Angel orbed in behind the second demon and stabbed it in the back, vanquishing it.

Haas got up and threw a powerball at Buffy. She closed her fist and the powerball winked out of existence. "Spread the word." Buffy said, putting her hands on her hips. "Leave me and my family alone or I'll kill you all." Haas looked at Buffy and then Angel before flaming out of the house.

Angel smiled at Buffy. "Nice work."

"Thanks."

The front door opened timidly and Paige stuck her head around. "Well, how'd it go?"

"What do you think?" Buffy asked, motioning that the house was empty. "I don't think he would have left unless he got the message."

"The question is will he deliver it?" Phoebe asked, walking in holding Alex.

"And will it stick?" Paige asked.

"I think so." Piper said, walking in behind Phoebe holding Chris. Leo was right behind her with Wyatt.

"So that's it? We can get back to our lives now?" Phoebe asked.

"Whatever those are." Paige said.

"Well, one of them has wedding bells in them."

"Huh?" Buffy asked.

"Later."

"Oook."

"Well, just as long as we're still demon-free, that's all that matters." Piper said.

"Oh. Lookey, lookey who's finally come around." Phoebe joked.

"I told you I just needed a little time and, you know, a very big reminder of what our lives used to constantly be like."

"Right."

"We still have the little witch to contend with." Paige said.

"Oh, no." Piper pointed at Paige. "We don't. We don't. Um…. you do. She's your charge."

"No."

"Yeah."

"Maybe you won't hear from her again." Phoebe said. Paige rolled her eyes and slouched dramatically with a moan.

"I have a feeling she'll be sticking around for a while."

Piper laughed. "So, let's see the place."

"It still needs some work." Angel said.

"Like carpets and drapes and pictures hanging on the walls…." Buffy said.

"But it's mostly functional now."

"How about the kitchen?" Phoebe asked.

"That was the first thing Angel fixed up." Buffy said.

"You can't have a home without a good kitchen." Angel said with a firm nod.

"I knew I liked you for some reason." Piper said.

"So, show us the rest of the house!" Phoebe said.

Buffy walked into the Manor with Alex in her arms and saw Piper pacing the floor in the living as she talked. "Ok, people, we got to get a grip here." She was saying. "Otherwise, what are we doing? We might as well just go back to fighting demons again."

"Even if they think we're dead?" Paige asked.

"It was a rhetorical question."

"No, it wasn't."

"Paige!"

"What?"

"Wow, what did we miss?" Buffy said to Alex. Her little girl laughed and everyone turned to look.

"Hey little one!" Phoebe jumped up and took Alex from Buffy.

"We were just discussing our messed up lives is all you missed." Piper said.

"So, it wasn't anything I haven't heard before. Good." Buffy joked.

"Look, I think the point is that we need to take it slow, you know, be patient." Leo said.

"Yeah, well, tell that to my premonition." Phoebe said, still cooing at Alex.

"And my stupid charge." Paige said.

Piper whistled loudly, startling everyone silent. "Hey, watch it." Buffy warned. "You could bust Alex's ear drum with that."

"You know, you're gonna be late." Leo said to Piper.

"Late for what?" Buffy asked.

"My spa day. I'm supposed to be having a facial and a massage and a seaweed wrapping thing." Piper said.

"I'm so jealous." Paige said.

"Well, it was Phoebe's idea. We were watching 'Sex and the City' and…."

"Speaking of which, did Carrie ever have to marry a man that she did not know, huh?"

"Carrie?" Leo asked.

"Don't ask." Buffy said. "They're on 'Sex and the City' again."

"Yeah. No." Phoebe said, answering her own question. "The answer is no. She did not." She picked up the DVD case and looked at it wistfully. "Why can't we live our lives like they did?"

"Uh, didn't one of them sleep around a lot?" Paige asked.

"No. She was a free spirit, which, by the way, can only happen when you're free." Piper covered Alex's ears and whistled loudly again. "God, is that really necessary?" Phoebe groaned, rubbing her ear.

"Apparently. Look. Ok. Nobody said this was gonna be easy. We need to get a little perspective here. How bad can things be when we don't have demons to worry about anymore?" Phoebe grudgingly nodded in agreement. "Thank you. Look." Piper looked at Paige. "You, you need to focus on something else. You got to get that charge off your mind."

"Well, people, I am open to suggestions." Paige said.

"Do what Grams said. Get out there. Ignore the signs of your old life and look for signs that lead you to your new life. Try anything." Paige orbed out and Piper whirled around to Phoebe. "And you, you're all about signs. So, isn't that exactly what a vision is anyway?"

"Yeah, but…." Phoebe started.

"Don't make me whistle. Last year you had a premonition that you were gonna have a daughter, which means then this year you're gonna have to have a little sex to get pregnant. And since Dex, which coincidentally rhymes with sex, could be the father…."

"Watch the S-E-X talk around the one year old, please." Buffy said.

"Sorry. Look. I suggest you get to know him…. well and fast. Because this may be the one sign you can't ignore. All right? Everybody good? People? Great. See you later." Piper headed out.

"Maybe Piper's right." Phoebe said to Buffy. "I mean, if there's one thing we've learned, it's that we're being guided…. and signs always lead the way. The question is, where do you start looking for them?"

Piper returned and walked across the main hall to the front door. "Start with Dex. See if you even like him."

"Eavesdropper!" Phoebe called back.

"The boys are upstairs. Thanks for watching them." Piper called, shutting the door behind her.

"So, how was your first night in your newly renovated house?"

"It was good." Buffy said, sitting down. "I didn't think Alex would take to it that well, but she wore herself out exploring everything there was to see."

"How's the new master bed?"

Buffy laughed. "Comfortable. It's amazing how much work it takes to make a house feel more like a home."

"Did you work on making me any more nieces or nephews?"

"No. We had so much fun moving furniture around and building shelves and chasing this one around the house yesterday that by the time ten rolled around, we were all conked out."

"Sorry I couldn't help out."

"It's ok. It was something Angel and I needed to do together. You know, since it's our first house together and all."

"Oh, I can't wait to have that."

Buffy took Alex back from Phoebe. "Well, for that to happen, you need to get married and have a kid. So," She pushed Phoebe towards the door. "Get going. Dex doesn't have forever." As soon as Phoebe was gone, Buffy loaded up the kids for a day at the zoo.


	106. Chapter 106

Chapter 106

Piper was digging through her closet while Leo and Buffy leaned up against the doorway waiting for her to pick something to wear. "Piper, you're gonna be late." Leo said.

"I can get Angel to orb you." Buffy offered.

"No. No. We…. No orb." Piper said. "We drive like normal people."

"Normal people get stuck in traffic jams."

"Did you put my silver earrings back after you borrowed them?"

"You're stalling."

"I am not stalling." Piper finally walked out of the closet.

"Wow. You look great." Leo said.

"It's ok if you're scared." Buffy said. "It's understandable."

"I'm not scared." Piper argued.

"Oh, yeah, right. And I haven't known you for 24 years. You changed outfits three times!"

"All right, well, maybe I am a little nervous. I don't really know why I'm doing this, anyway."

"You're doing this because it's what you want to do." Leo said. "Look, if you get nothing else out of being dead to the world…."

"And to the underworld." Buffy added.

"At least you went out and you tried something new. You know? You expanded your horizons."

"Who writes your stuff?" Piper asked.

"You just need to relax a little." Buffy said. "Ok, Piper? It's just an interview."

"With a corporate headhunter who's going to, what, get me a job at IBM? I don't think so."

"I thought you wanted this."

"No, actually, it was dad's idea. He set it up."

"Because he knew you wanted to try something new." Leo said.

"No. I am perfectly happy running P3."

"You were not happy last week about anything."

"One little meltdown. Ok? I'm allowed."

"Ok, look, the point is, you've got a new lease on life." Buffy said. "We all do. And you need to just take your own advice. You know? Get out there. See if there's other people you want to mingle with and talk to."

"Mm-hmm. And what about all the demons in the world?"

"We've got me and Angel for that."

"And Billie." Leo added.

"And she's just a kid." Piper said. "What if she can't handle it?"

"She will." Buffy said. "She's learning, and Paige's got her upstairs studying right now."

"Yeah, and…. and as far as the play date, you know, Buffy and I got it covered." Leo said.

"I know." Piper said. "But really, little Kenny is…."

"Is allergic to peanut butter. I know. You told us."

"You're stalling." Buffy said.

Piper turned and looked at her new image in the mirror. "I just wish I didn't feel like such a fraud."

"All you need to do is remember the you that's on the inside." Buffy said. "Ok? And besides…. Who's gonna figure it out Jenny?" She noticed Piper's pointed look in the mirror and stuck her tongue out at her.

Piper laughed. "Fine. I'm going."

"Actually, it wasn't a problem at all." Piper said on the other line. Buffy and Leo were each on a cordless phone at Buffy's house standing in the foyer. Alex, Wyatt, and the other children were playing in the room behind them. "It went a lot better than I thought it would."

"I won't say I told you so." Leo said.

"Good. Don't. How's the Motley Crew?"

"They're doing fine." Buffy said. "They're enjoying their sundaes as we speak."

"Actually, I was talking about the moms. Leo, you be careful of Eve. She can kind of be…."

"Piper…." Leo warned.

"What?"

"We can handle it."

"Yes, we can." Buffy said. "Enjoy your lunch. Tell Phoebe and Paige I'm sorry I can't come too. Celebrate."

"Celebrate what?" Piper asked.

"Your new life." Leo said, hanging up.

"Uh, use your words, sweetie." Vivian said behind them. Buffy and Leo went over to join the moms. "Uh! I swear, if Edith stands up one more time at PTA, she's gotta go."

"Get rid of her. Cement-shoe city." Laurie said.

"She's joking, of course." Miranda said.

"Oh, I get it. Just pretend I'm one of the gals." Leo joked.

"Mommy said use your words." Vivian said again. "Oh, does this agro stage ever stop?"

"Not if you're like my husband…." Amanda said.

"Believe it or not, some men are sensitive." Eve said, looking at Leo. "Look at you and what you're doing. Helping take care of your cousin's kids."

"It's what family does." Leo said, glancing at Buffy.

"Yeah, but most men wouldn't set aside their career for the sake of the children. God, I just…. I really admire you."

"Ok, enough." Vivian reached out and picked up her son. "I'm sorry, sweetie, but mommy told you if you can't use it safely, she's taking it away. Come on."

"And all on your own." Eve said to Leo. "No ring. You're not married?"

"Oh, um, actually, it's a long story." Leo said. He didn't miss the look Buffy shot him.

Eve's son came running up to her carrying a bowl of ice cream. "Mommy! Mommy! Oh!" He tripped and the bowl of ice cream flew out of his hands and landed squarely on Leo's shirt.

"Oh, God, I am so sorry." Eve said.

"It's ok." Leo said. "It was…. it was an accident."

"Here. Let me clean that off." Eve took a napkin and dabbed at the ice cream mess on his shirt while her other hand rested on Leo's thigh.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Do you need to go get another shirt, Louis?" She asked pointedly.

"Oh, don't be silly." Eve took Leo's shirt off, leaving him in his white under shirt. "I'll wash it." She headed into the kitchen. Leo quickly followed, protesting.

Vivian groaned. "She'll never stop."

"Oh, I think Jenny'll stop her." Buffy said, standing up.

"You think that'll stop Eve?" Miranda asked. "Think again. She's relentless."

"I'll be right back." Buffy headed into the kitchen where Leo was standing over the kitchen sink in his undershirt while Eve had her hands in the sink washing Leo's shirt.

"You know, you really don't have to do that." Leo said.

"I insist. It's the least I can do seeing as how my Tommy made the mess. Are you sure that undershirt isn't dirty, too? Why don't we wash it?" Eve grabbed the hem of Leo's shirt and started to lift it up.

"Uh, you know, I could just throw it in the washing machine."

"Nonsense. Here, let me."

"Am I, um, interrupting anything?" Buffy asked.

"Uh…. Uh…." Leo looked like a caught rabbit.

"Eve, Tommy's calling you."

"I don't hear him."

"Trust me." Eve glanced at Buffy and then Leo before walking out. "Oh, Piper is going to kick your butt."

Paige orbed into the kitchen. "We've got a problem."

"What's wrong?" Leo asked.

"Why are you naked?"

"I'm not naked!"

"Eve's son spilled his ice cream on Leo." Buffy said. "What's wrong?"

"Piper's in jail."

"Jail?"

"Mm-hmm."

"What is going on?" Leo asked. "What happened?"

"What happened is that Piper chose the wrong disguise, which unfortunately she found out after she was arrested for murder."

"Murder?" Buffy asked.

"Yes, and apparently, she thinks she got her alias out of a picture in one of the magazines around the Manor."

"Wait a second." Leo said.

"Look, I don't have time for this, neither does Piper, ok? So if you really, really want to help, then help me find Maya Holmes. The real Maya Holmes."

"Who?" Buffy asked. "Never mind. Angel!"

Angel orbed in a moment later. "What's wrong?"

"Piper's in jail. Can you go in there and finish the play date for me?"

"Sure."

"Actually, just…. Get rid of them and then come help us. Please?"

"That sounds like a better plan."

Buffy moved over to Paige. "And watch out for Eve." Paige orbed Buffy and Leo to the Manor.

"Ok, start looking for Maya." Paige said.

"How will we know what she looks like?" Leo asked. Both girls shot him an annoyed look. "Sorry."

Leo headed to the conservatory as Buffy and Paige sat down to flip through magazines. After a few minutes, Buffy spotted Piper's alias modeling a green gown. "Got her!" Buffy said, ripping out the page.

"Good, now let's go find the real Maya so we can get Piper." Paige took the page and rushed upstairs.

Billie was sitting in the attic, flipping through the Book of Shadows when Buffy and Paige rushed into the attic. "Oh, something's going on." She got up eagerly and followed Paige to the potions table. "Is a demon problem? Is it, is it, is it?"

Paige started throwing ingredients into the potions pot. "Not now, Billie."

"Oh, you're making a potion. Is it a vanquishing potion? Oh, come on, Paige, teach me. I'm here to learn, aren't I?"

"It's a big problem, ok? It's a big problem."

"Oh, good, good." Billie looked at Buffy. "I've been studying the Book. I know how to vanquish demons, I know…."

"It's not a demon problem." Buffy interrupted.

"What other kind of problem is there?"

"It's a Piper's in jail problem." Paige said.

"In jail?"

"They're confusing her with somebody, and that somebody else is who I have to scry for."

Billie turned to get her stuff to help. "Oh, scrying. I love that. I'll go get my laptop…."

"No, no, no. What if it doesn't work? It has to work. That's why we're doing this the old-fashioned way. No laptop scrying. Old-fashioned. Keep it simple." Paige picked up the tongs and removed the picture of Maya Holmes from the pot. "Please work." She went to the scrying table and started swinging the crystal over the map.

"Uh…. I can't believe I'm just now noticing this, but…. Where's Phoebe?" Buffy asked.

"She went to work to see what she could find on Maya Holmes." The crystal dropped. "But we found her first."

"Let's go." Buffy took Paige's hand.

"I'm coming too!" Billie rushed over and grabbed Paige's other hand as she orbed them out. They found themselves in a motel room.

"Ok." Paige said. "Gotta be careful."

"Oh, come on. How dangerous can a model be?"

Suddenly the door was kicked open as Maya burst into the room, hitting Billie back against the wall. Paige dodged a kick that Buffy caught with her hand. Maya deflected a punch from Billie, but Buffy kicked Maya in the stomach. She fell back toward the dresser, grabbed the gun on the top, and pointed it at them. Thinking quickly, Buffy waved her hand and the lamp flew off the cabinet top and smashed into Maya's head, knocking her out. "That was close." Billie breathed.

"Good. Fear." Paige said. "We're making progress."


	107. Chapter 107

Chapter 107

Piper, Phoebe, Paige, Buffy, Leo, Angel, and Billie were gathered in the living room at the Manor. Paige had managed to switch Piper, but Piper had told them that Maya was innocent.

"How were we supposed to know?" Paige asked. "They said you were alone."

"Well, obviously, I wasn't." Piper said.

"You sure she didn't see you orb?" Leo asked.

"No. Fortunately, I think she was seeing stars at the moment."

"Can we get back to why you think Maya's innocent and what we're gonna do about it?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't think Maya's innocent. I know she is. Nance basically admitted to killing the photographer."

"Nance, the district attorney?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah."

"Great."

"Well, can't we just vanquish him?" Billie asked.

"We don't usually vanquish humans." Piper said.

"Oh. Just asking."

"Billie, maybe you should just go upstairs and study for a little bit." Paige said.

"What? Why? I've been studying all day."

"Billie, just…. please?"

"Fine. It's just like living at home again." Billie stormed out.

"Practice patience." Paige called after her.

"So, if Nance is guilty, we need proof." Angel said.

"Well, she must have something on him." Piper said.

"Then why hasn't she used it?" Buffy asked. "I mean, why run?"

"She was probably scared. He's a high-powered district attorney. He's well-connected, and she wouldn't stand a chance up against him, which is why you need to switch us back."

"What?" Paige asked. "You want me to put you back in jail?"

"Just long enough to find out what she's got on him." Piper

"What about your cell mate?" Leo asked.

"I think I can take care of myself."

"Ok." Phoebe said. "Well, I think that should give me enough time to stop Dex's show."

"Excuse me?" Buffy asked.

"Look, I did not ask for this, and if I don't do something, then the premonition about us getting married, not gonna happen. And the future-child premonition? That's not gonna happen, either."

"Yeah. Ok. Go." Paige said. "Fantastic. Good idea."

"Ok." Phoebe looked at Piper seriously. "Eyes low, shoulders high." She nodded and walked out.

"I'm gonna go check on Billie." Paige said, walking upstairs.

"That's a good idea." Piper said. The doorbell rang and Leo and Piper looked at each other. Leo didn't look like he was going to move and neither did Buffy or Angel. "Well, I'll get it." Piper got to her feet and whacked Leo on the foot as she went to answer the door. Grumbling, Leo got up to follow her. Buffy chuckled and followed Leo with Angel right behind her. Piper opened the door to find Carl, Eve's husband, on the other side. He didn't wait for her to open the door all the way. He just burst in, saw Leo, and glared at him. "Hi, Carl." Piper said cheerily.

"You the dirtbag hitting on my wife?" Carl stepped up to Leo and pulled his arm back to hit him.

"Whoa!" Piper froze him mid-punch. "What's going on?"

Leo backed away from Carl's fist. "Uh…. I don't know. Uh…. I didn't do anything. It was…. It was Eve."

"What exactly did Eve do?"

Leo looked at Buffy for help, but she just crossed her arms and smiled, leaning back against Angel's chest. Leo sighed. "Oh, come on, Piper. You know me."

"Uh-huh, I do, and I also know Eve. So you must have done something to encourage her."

"No, nothing. Except maybe, you know…. she thought that I was single."

"Oh. You didn't tell her you were married."

"No. Look, it all happened so fast, you know? We never really got the chance to discuss, you know, everything, with our disguises. I mean, we don't even…. We don't even have rings on our fingers, so…."

"That's a good story. Now get back into position."

"What? Why?"

"We gotta save Maya. We got stuff to do, so let's get this over with. You gotta get back into position."

"You are so enjoying this, aren't you?"

"Yeah."

Leo got back in front of Carl's frozen fist. He blustered as he looked at the oncoming punch and turned his cheek, bracing himself. Piper un-froze Carl and he punched Leo in the face, knocking him backward to the floor.

Buffy chuckled as she grabbed Carl and gently, but firmly led him back to the door. "Now, don't you feel better? Ok. Thanks for stopping by, Carl. Say hi to Eve for me, ok? See you later."

Piper sat behind the driver's wheel with Paige in the passenger's seat and Buffy and Angel sitting in back. They were parked just outside the police station. "We shouldn't have let Billie do this." Piper said.

"No, it's better her going in to see if it's safe for us to orb, especially since you still look like Maya." Angel said.

"Besides, if Billie's gonna start helping, she might as well do it now." Paige said.

"Yeah, but she's supposed to be helping us with demons, not cops." Piper said.

Buffy spotted Billie crossing the street and heading for the car. "Here she comes."

"Hey, bad news." Billie said. "Maya's not in there."

"What do you mean, she's not in there?" Piper asked.

"They just released her into Nance's custody."

"Nance? Why?" Paige asked.

"So he can shut her up." Buffy said.

Piper parked the car and they all got out. Billie had been orbed back home by Angel. The building where Nance lived was a huge skyscraper.

"We need to orb." Buffy said.

"Why?"

"I don't think we have time to ride an elevator all the way up. Something tells me we need to be up there now."

"As the lady requests." Angel said, orbing the four of them to the hallway of Nance's apartment.

They heard Maya talking and peered around the corner to see Nance had cornered her on the balcony. "Walter. Please calm down." Maya begged.

"See? I told you he'd bring her here." Piper whispered to Paige.

"So he can't kill her; everyone knows he bailed her out." Paige said.

"Yeah, well, if I know Nance, he's probably already thought about that."

"What do you mean, know Nance? You met him once."

"Once was enough, believe me."

"I'm telling you the truth." Maya said. "I don't know what's going on. I swear I don't have anything!"

"I don't believe you." Walter grabbed Maya's upper arms. "And I can't risk it."

"I beg you, don't kill me, too."

"This isn't murder, Maya. It's suicide." He pushed her over the balcony railing.

"Oh, my god." Paige said.

"Alley. Orb. Orb." Buffy ordered.

Paige orbed Piper out while Angel orbed Buffy out. Just before Maya reached the ground, Piper froze her mid-air. "Whew, that was close." Paige said.

"Yeah." Piper looked around and saw a bed mattress on the dumpster. "Hurry, get the mattress."

"What if it doesn't work?"

"Well, then, it was a bad idea."

Paige hit Piper's arm as Buffy picked up the mattress like it was a block of Styrofoam and put it under the frozen Maya. Piper unfroze Maya and she resumed falling and screaming. She hit the mattress face forward and survived. After a second, she groaned, looked up to see Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Paige.

"Where am I?" Maya asked.

"You're dead. Come on." Buffy reached down and helped Maya to her feet.

The real Maya was sitting in the kitchen while Piper, Paige, Buffy, Angel, and Phoebe discussed what to do next up in the attic. Billie was downstairs keeping watch over Maya. "What if we swapped Maya's identity out for a new one?" Paige suggested.

"Are you kidding? I think we're having enough identity issues as it is." Phoebe said.

"Well, we're running out of options here, people."

"No, there's gotta be another way." Buffy said.

"What if she went back on the run?" Phoebe asked.

"No, it's just a matter of time before she'd get caught." Angel said. "She's the prime suspect. You can't magically make that go away."

Billie walked into the attic, but no one paid attention to her. "Too bad we can't prove that he threw her off the balcony." Phoebe said.

"Well, now it's gonna look like she escaped from him." Piper said. "At least, that's the way he's gonna spin it."

"Seriously, though, I have a great…." Billie started.

Piper waved her hand for Billie to stop talking. "I think the only way to save Maya is to get him to confess to the murders somehow."

"Oh, that happens when?" Paige asked. "Before or after hell freezes over."

"But I'm telling you…." Billie tried again.

Phoebe interrupted her. "Wait a minute. What about a truth spell?"

"We're gonna have to get close." Piper said.

"We could try orbing." Paige said.

Billie shouted, "Or you could try listening to me!" And stamped her foot down for emphasis. They all turned to look at Billie. "Thank you." She walked over to the Book. "Now, according to the Book of Shadows, this would not be the first time you've scared someone into a confession, right? Six or seven years ago, it was the pawnbroker or something?"

"Wow. Someone's done their homework. I'm impressed." Phoebe said.

"Uh, but we didn't do it." Piper said. "We got a ghost to do it."

"Yeah, I know, but you guys can change looks, right? You can make him think he's seeing a ghost." Billie said.

"Where are you going with this?" Buffy asked.

"I'm going to the Demon of Fear."

"You want us to conjure Barbas?" Piper asked. "Are you out of your mind? After everything he did…."

"To kill you? No, I'm not suggesting that you conjure him, I'm just suggesting you think of him as some sort of inspiration. Prey on Nance's deepest fear."

"What's that?" Angel asked.

"Old age. He's terrified of old age." Billie smiled proudly.

"How do you know that?" Paige asked.

"Maya told me."

Piper was leaning back against Leo as they sat on the couch at Buffy and Angel's house. They had come over after Piper, Paige, Phoebe, and Billie had gotten Nance to confess. Buffy and Angel had opted to stay and keep watch over the kids.

Paige walked into the living room. "Well, Nance and everyone involved are in jail. Maya's set free. All in all, not a bad day."

"Yeah, except for the part where I have to come up with a new identity." Piper said. "So much for my future in the corporate world."

"Yeah, I don't think that one fit you very much anyway." Leo said.  
"Hmm, I guess not. Can't change my whole life, although you could've mentioned that earlier."

"No, I've learned my lesson. No one tells you what to do."

"So, missy, where you gonna get your next alias from?" Buffy asked. "Time magazine, Vanity Fair? Let me guess. National Enquirer?"

"No, I think I can come up with this one on my own, thank you."

"Well, just make sure it's not off the most wanted list, ok?" Paige said.

"Trust me."

"Another cousin?" Leo asked.

"Yes, actually. One that you will be married to this time."

"Hey, that was all about Eve."

"Wasn't all about Eve some old movie?" Paige asked.

"One that I don't wanna see again anytime soon." Piper said.

"Fine by me." Leo agreed.

"So, guys, how do you think our fair Billie did?" Paige asked. "Sounds like she did good."

"Except for the fact that she was inspired by a demon." Piper said.

"Oh, come on!" The house shook suddenly from a minor earthquake. "Did you guys feel that?"

"Phoebe's gonna have her handful." Buffy said.

"So's Dex." Angel joked.


	108. Chapter 108

Chapter 108

Buffy opened the front door of her house and found Billie standing on the other side. "Billie."

"Hi!" Billie walked in and Buffy shut the door behind her.

"What's up?"

"I was hoping you could hide me from Paige for a while. She's like a drill instructor today."

Buffy smiled as she headed back towards the kitchen with a laugh. "Sure."

"So what are you up to?"

"Playing housewife until Angel gets home." Buffy went to finish cleaning the mess Alex had made while she'd been eating. "Then I'm going patrolling."

"You haven't done that in a while."

"Yeah. The media's been kinda all over me and Angel since the girls faked their deaths. It's finally died down and they've gone back to real news. So I can get back to being me."

"I thought you were enjoying having all this time to be a stay at home mom."

Buffy shrugged and threw away the dirty paper towels she was holding. "Yeah, but I'm also the Slayer. It's hard to ignore your calling."

"Can I go with you? When you go patrolling tonight?"

"Billie…."

"Please! Oh please! It would be good for my training. Phoebe said you helped her learn how to fight."

Buffy sighed. "Fine. You can come. But stay out of the way and just observe. I don't want you getting hurt or worse."

"Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!"

"Yeah. You're welcome. Just don't make me regret it."

"I won't. I promise."

"Buffy?" Angel called from the foyer, shutting the door behind him.

"In here." Buffy called back.

Angel walked in a moment later. "Hey Billie, what are you doing here?" He kissed Buffy and wrapped an arm around her waist.

"I needed to get away from Paige." Billie said.

"Well, you're always welcome here."

"I'm going to go upstairs and get changed." Buffy said. She looked at Angel. "Alex just needs her bath and her pajamas are laying on her crib."

"Ok. Be careful."

"We will."

"'We'?"

"Billie's coming with."

"Are you sure that's safe?"

"She'll be ok. Oh, and you need to call Doyle. He's called twice tonight."

"Vision?"

"Missing his best friend." Buffy headed upstairs to get changed and put her Slayer bag together.

Buffy and Billie were picking their way through the graveyard, keeping their eyes peeled for danger. Angel had shown Buffy an obituary in the paper the morning before that had screamed vamp attack. The man's funeral had been that afternoon, so Buffy had chosen this cemetery to make sure Mr. Samuel Clasey stayed dead.

"Hey isn't this where Prue is buried?" Billie blurted.

Buffy was a little startled and glanced in the direction of the mausoleum where Prue rested. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry."

"It's ok. She wouldn't want me to still me moping over her death."

"So, what was it like growing up with the Charmed Ones?"

Buffy laughed. "I don't know. They weren't the Charmed Ones growing up. Grams bound their powers when they were young. We were all just regular kids growing up together."

"How did you find out about them? And how did they find out about you?"

"Prue cast a truth spell. She wanted to know what her boyfriend thought of her being a witch and why I had disappeared for three months. I ended up blurting everything to her. But the truth spell runs both ways and when I asked her why I was telling her everything, she told me she was a witch and that she'd cast a spell to make people tell the truth."

"And you remembered it? I thought you weren't supposed to remember after the 24 hours are up."

"Personal gain. It was cast on everybody in the house, so it was cast on Piper, Phoebe, and I as well as Prue."

"Wow. What a way to find out your family is so…. Special."

"Yeah!" Buffy shook her head. "It's not so bad, though. Being a Slayer is a bit…. Lonely. Having the Charmed Ones in your family to share the burden with is nice."

"I bet." Billie looked a little sad for a second, but perked right back up. "So, when are we going to see some action?"

"That's a good question." Buffy looked around the quiet cemetery. "I think this place has grown since the last time I was here."

"When was that?"

"Let's just say a long time ago. Do you see any fresh graves?"

"Nope. I think we're in an older part of the cemetery." Billie inspected a worn headstone dated 1899.

"How did we get turned around?"

"I don't know. I don't even come to cemeteries in the daytime."

They turned around to head back the way they'd came, but instead found themselves face to face with a blue, swirling vortex. "What the…." Before Buffy could finish, she and Billie were sucked in. They landed on dirt and grass when the vortex closed.

"Ow." Billie said, getting to her feet.

"Ditto." Buffy stood up. "What was that?" It was clear they were still in the cemetery.

"I don't know."

"Let's get back to the Manor and see what the Book says."

"Good idea." They turned to head back, but Billie stopped dead. "Buffy…."

"What's wrong?" Buffy noticed what Billie was pointing at. "Oh crap." The headstone that had been so worn and dated 1899 looked very fresh now and so did the grave.

"Where are we?"

"By the looks of things, I'm guessing 1899. The question is: why? Why would we be sucked back in time?"

"Maybe that's why." Billie pointed to a black cloaked figure moving through the headstones at a fast pace. "I think that's a demon."

"Let's find out." Buffy gave chase, counting on Billie to follow. The demon must not have realized he was being chased until Buffy was right behind him. By then it was too late. Buffy waved her hand and sent him flying into a tree where he crumpled to the ground. He didn't stay down, though. He was back on his feet, trying to scramble away. Billie finally caught up and called Buffy's name, tossing her a short sword from the weapons bag that had come with them. Buffy caught the sword and turned to the demon, pinning him down. "Who are you?" The demon just glared up at her. "If you won't speak, I'll just have to make you scream till you do."

She raised the sword to plunge the tip into the demon's leg, but he cried out, holding up his hands to stop her. "Don't!"

"Oh, you do talk."

"I'm not here to harm you."

"Then why were you running away from us?" Billie asked.

"I wasn't running from you. I didn't even know you were here. I swear!"

"Who are you?" Buffy backed up slightly, but still kept the sword at the ready.

"I'm Eric." He stood up to his full six foot five inches and pushed the hood away from a beautiful head of shoulder length blonde hair. His eyes were ice blue set just above a set of chiseled cheek bones a Greek statue would envy. (A/N Sound familiar to anyone who loves vampire books?)

Buffy had to fight back the urge to purr at him. "You're not a demon."

"How can you tell?" Billie asked.

"He doesn't smell like one."

"No." Eric said. "I'm a witch. And I came back to save your future."

"Excuse me?"

"A demon has seen that your connection to the Charmed Ones lies in your deep connection to the one sister…. Phoebe."

"We were twins in a past life."

"Yes. And that demon has come back to stop those twins from being born tonight."

"Why didn't you come to us…. me?"

"There was no time. I only received the premonition about an hour ago."

"You get premonitions?" Billie asked.

"It's one of my powers."

"Why didn't Phoe…. You get that premonition? After all, it's about you and Phoebe."

"I don't know why Mrs. Summers didn't receive the premonition. She should have."

"How did you get yours?" Buffy asked.

"Excuse me?"

"Phoebe got her premonitions when she touched something. I get mine in my dreams…. Mostly. How did you get yours?"

"I was researching the Charmed Ones and you, the Slayer, when it came to me."

"Why were you researching them?" Billie asked suspiciously.

"They are the very epitome of all that is good. I'm sorry, Mrs. Summers, were the epitome. I'm very sorry for your loss."

"Thanks." Buffy said.

"I'm a good magic user. I wanted to learn from them and from you. When the premonition hit, I just reacted."

"You should've contacted me first."

"My apologies for trying to save your existence."

Buffy sighed, feeling a bit scolded, and uncrossed her arms. She wouldn't apologize. Instead she asked, "Why are we here?"

"I didn't realize you were so close when the spell activated."

"You couldn't hear us talking?" Billie asked.

"I was deep into the spell. Why were you in the old part of the cemetery?"

Buffy had to think about that for a minute, but she came up blank. "I don't know. I was just walking."

"Seems like you were drawn to my spell then. In which case, you were meant to help me."

"Well, it is my past life and all."

Eric looked at Buffy's jeans, baby doll T-shirt, and tennis shoes and Billie's khaki pants, tank top, and ballet flats. "We will need to get you two some clothes. You'll stick out like sore thumbs in this time."

Buffy and Billie soon found themselves dressed in dresses that looked like a couple of Satine's dresses from _Moulin Rouge_. Eric was walking between them discussing their story they were to tell to anyone who asked. "….we're just a couple passing through with your sister, Billie, on our honeymoon and…."

"What if someone asks where our bags are?" Billie asked.

Eric paused for a long moment. Finally he smiled and said, "We're waiting for them to arrive on our other coach."

"Why do we have to be a couple?" Buffy asked.

"It looks more legitimate." He motioned to the ring on her left finger.

Buffy checked his left finger. "You have one too."

"Yes."

"You're married?" Billie asked.

"Was. She was killed by a demon two years ago."

"I'm sorry." Buffy said. "Was she a witch?"

"Yes. She really opened me up to a whole new world of magic."

"You weren't a magic user before?" Billie asked.

"Oh, I was. My parents didn't encourage it, though. I grew up learning things on my own. Unlike the Charmed Ones and yourself, Buffy, I had no one to guide me until Elizabeth came along."

"How long have you been practicing now?"

"Seven years and counting."

"Do you have a whitelighter?" Buffy asked.

"Not that I'm aware of. Should I?"

"I would think so."

Eric nodded. "I will have to look into that."

"I'll ask my husband about it."

"He's a whitelighter?"

"Yes."

"Hey! It's the theatre the twins' mother is supposed to be at tonight!" Billie said, pointing.

"So it is." Eric smiled and held his arm out to Buffy. She sighed and slipped her arm through his and he led them into the theatre. Somehow he produced tickets from his pocket. Once they were seated in a box next to the stage, he leaned over and whispered to Buffy, "That's my newest power: Conjuring. Neat, huh?"

"Very." Buffy agreed, looking around. She looked to the box next to them and spotted a blonde woman with a _very_ swollen belly sitting in a very cushioned chair. She had hazel eyes that turned green in the firelight from the chandelier above them and pale skin that seemed to glow from an inner light. She was also crackling with power. Which was probably what made her seem to glow. "Eric." Buffy tugged at his sleeve and gestured to the woman in the box. "Is that her?"

"I don't see any other lady in a fragile condition."

"What do we do?" Billie asked.

"Wait." Eric said. "The demon is here…. Somewhere. Can you spot it?"

Buffy and Billie exchanged glances and then started scanning the crowd and other boxes. Buffy reached out with her Slayer senses to try and "feel" for the demon. She could sense a couple of magic users, Eric and Billie included, but she couldn't feel a demon. "Are you sure it's a demon?" Buffy asked.

"In my premonition, I saw a red skinned demon in a tux attacking your ancestor." Eric said.

"Show me."

"What?"

"It's something I can do…. Well, I've only ever done it with Phoebe because of our connection," Buffy gestured to the pregnant woman in the box next to them. "But, it might work between us. I'm _hoping_ this'll work between us and I can share yours."

"Good thinking." Billie said.

"Thanks." Buffy took off her long silk gloves and held out her hands. "Give me your hands." Eric placed his hands in Buffy's and gripped them gently. "Ok, do you feel my hands?"

"Yes." Eric said.

"Do you feel the connection between us?"

"I…." He gasped as he suddenly felt connected to Buffy. "Yes!"

Buffy smiled. "Ok, concentrate on your premonition. See it in your mind. Experience it again." Buffy gasped as she was sucked into the premonition Eric had had. Sure enough the blonde woman sitting next to them was being choked to death by a red skinned demon in a tux. Buffy paid close attention to the tux and not the demon. She noted the color of the handkerchief in his breast pocket: crimson. The cufflinks in his shirt: square pieces of silver with a single diamond in the middle. The buttons on his shirt: flat pieces of ivory that gleamed in the light. The flower in his lapel: a crimson rose to match his handkerchief.


	109. Chapter 109

Chapter 109

Buffy pulled her hands away, breathing heavily as she tried to compose herself after feeling her past life slipping away. Eric gasped, "How did you do that?" Buffy ignored him though, turning to scan the audience for the demon disguised as a human.

Suddenly, the pregnant blonde woman gave out a gasp and hunched over her stomach. Buffy, Billie, and Eric all turned to look at her. She looked around frantically for someone and was visibly upset when she couldn't find him. Buffy turned and rushed out of the box, went up to two small steps, and stepped into the pregnant woman's box.

"Oh!" The woman exclaimed quietly. She apparently didn't want to interrupt the play.

"Don't worry. I'm here to help." Buffy said quietly.

"My water's broken. Are you a midwife?"

"No. But uh…. I've been there for the births of my two nephews and I've had a baby myself."

"I need my husband."

"Where is he?"

"He went to talk to a business friend of his. Do I know you?"

"No. What's your name?"

"I'm Amelia."

"Hi, Amelia. I'm Buffy. You're having twins."

"Yes. How did you know?"

"Let's just say I'm psychic."

"Are you a witch?"

"Sort of. Just like you." Buffy looked around, poking her head out into the hallway. "We need to get you out of here." Amelia nodded and allowed Buffy to help her up. They went into the hallway where Eric and Billie were now waiting. "Hey, that demon is here somewhere. I can sense him now. He's dropped his cover."

"Demon?" Amelia asked.

"There's a demon after you." Billie said.

"Who are you people?"

"We're here to help." Eric said.

"And to save the future." Billie added.

Buffy shot her a glare. "TMI, Billie."

"The future?" Amelia asked.

"You don't wanna know. Come on." Buffy helped her towards the back stairs. "That's Billie and Eric. They're witches too."

"What's going on?"

"I'll explain later. Less talking, more moving." Suddenly, the red skinned demon appeared, looking very startled to see them in the hallway. Amelia screamed and Buffy waved her hand to fling the demon away, but her powers didn't work.

"What was that!" Billie cried.

"My powers aren't working!" The demon advanced and Billie shot out her own magic to fling him back away from the little group. "Your powers work!"

"She doesn't exist in this time." Eric said. "You do and you don't have your powers yet."

"They're not really my powers."

"They are now." Billie said. "And they're not going to work here. Can we please get out of here?"

Buffy handed Amelia to Billie and Eric and moved to the back of them. She was tackled by the demon from behind and they both tumbled to the floor. Eric moved to help Buffy, but she waved him on. "Get her out of here!" Buffy kicked at the demon, but the skirt limited her movement and she found that she didn't have her Slayer powers either. "Great!" Suddenly a mallet appeared in her hand. She whacked the demon over the head with it and scrambled away. Eric took her hands and helped her up. "Really? A mallet?"

"It was all I could come up with!" Eric protested as they ran.

"Where're Billie and Amelia?"  
"I guess they're in the lobby. That's where Billie was taking Amelia to find her husband."

Just as they reached the lobby, Amelia let out a scream and doubled over. Billie tried to catch her, but Amelia fell forward and landed on her hands and knees in blood. In front of her was the slashed up body of a finely dressed man.

"Robert?" Amelia was crying hysterically. She touched the dead man's bloody face.

Buffy figured this was her husband, but she didn't have time to care. The demon was marching towards them. "Gotta go." She hauled Amelia up and they began to run again.

"What about Robert?" Amelia wailed.

"It's too late for him." Buffy winced at the coldness in her voice. "Sorry."

"Where are we going?" Billie asked.

"I don't know."

"We need to get to my house." Amelia said. "I have protection wards around it."

"Where is it?" Billie asked.

Eric pointed to a carriage. "Get in. I'll drive."

"How do you know where to go?"

"I…. I don't."

"I'll…." Amelia let out a scream as she was hit with another contraction. "I'll tell it wear to go." She touched the side of the carriage, extended her other hand towards the horses, and whispered something to it. It glowed golden and they all climbed in. As soon as Eric closed the door, the carriage took off. Buffy supported Amelia as they clattered through the dirt and cobblestone streets. Finally, the carriage came to an abrupt halt in front of a familiar structure.

"It's the Manor!" Billie said.

"It was built last year." Amelia said. "My mother designed it before she passed on. When I married Robert…." She choked up, but shook her head and cleared her throat. "He loved the plans and the land…. He helped my mother's dream come true."

"Come on. The demon won't be too far behind." Eric said, helping Amelia up to the house.

"We need the Book of Shadows." Buffy said.

"It's in my room upstairs." Amelia said. "The second door on the left." Buffy laughed. "What's funny?"

"Nothing." Buffy said. She grabbed Billie and pulled her towards the stairs. "Come on. Eric, you make sure that demon stays away."

"It's hidden." Amelia called, but Buffy ignored her as she and Billie rushed upstairs.

"What was so funny?" Billie asked.

"That's Phoebe's room and then it was mine and now its Phoebe's again. And I'll bet you I know where the Book's hidden." Buffy opened the door and went straight over to the wall beneath the window. She pushed in on the panel and it moved back and slid sideways. "Phoebe and I discovered this when I was five. We hid all kinds of things in here." Sure enough, the Book of Shadows was propped up in the small space.

"It's kind of skinny." Billie said.

"The girl's have filled it out in the last few years." Buffy sat down at Amelia's vanity and started paging through the Book.

"Do you know what you're looking for?"

"Not really. He may not even be in here."

"Why?"

"He came from our time."

"Oh."

"He reminds me of…." Buffy trailed off as she flipped through the Book.

"Who?"

"What?"

"Who does he remind you of?"

"Oh, uh…. Belthazar."

"He's in the Book in our time."

"Yeah."

"Do you know how to vanquish him?"

"Uh, sort of."

"Sort of?"

"I know at least one of the ingredients." Buffy shook her head. "Belthazar isn't in here."

"Is our demon?"

"No." Buffy shut the Book. "I don't understand. He was almost 200 years old. He should be in the Book."

"Our demon?"  
"Belthazar."

"So, if the demon isn't in the Book, you can't make a potion to vanquish him."

"No, but I can summon someone who might know who this demon is and how to kill it. I can use the Belthazar summoning spell. I'd just need to tweak it a bit."

"So get tweaking. We don't have all night."

"Uh…. Magic forces black and white…. Reaching out through space and light…. Be he far or…. Be he near…. Bring us Cole's spirit here?"

"Nothing's happening." Billie said.

"I'm new at this!"

"You're not new to being a witch." A new voice said behind Billie. Billie let out a yelp and turned around to find Cole's see-through body standing behind her. "You called?"

"I did." Buffy stepped up to him.

"Where are we?" Cole asked, looking around the familiar but unfamiliar room.

"We're in the original Manor in 1899."

"Ok. Why?"

"A demon that's like Belthazar is trying to kill Phoebe and I…. Well, our past lives."

"The twins?"

"Yes."

"Smart guy. If he severs your connection to the Charmed Ones, you four won't be as powerful as you are now."

"We got that, Cole."

"You can manipulate time?"

Buffy shook her head. "No, this other witch, he's a guy, he figured out how to get back here. Billie and I were patrolling and ended up falling through the portal with the guy."

"Are you sure he's trustworthy?"

"He has been so far."

"So, with all this help, why did you call me?"

"Because the Book here?" Buffy held it up. "Not as informative as the one in 2005."

Eric appeared in the doorway. "There you are. The demon's here." He looked at Cole. "Who are you?"

"A friend." Cole said.

"A dead friend who used to be a demon and who might be able to help." Buffy added pointedly to Cole.

"Of course I'll help." Cole disappeared.

"Where'd he go?" Billie asked.

"Probably to take a look at our demon." Buffy turned back to Eric and started pushing past him. "You left her alone?"

"The wards are holding." Eric said, following with Billie.

"They don't always." Buffy let out a yelp when Cole appeared suddenly on the stairs in front of her. "Don't _do_ that!"

"Sorry." Cole said, following Buffy down the stairs as she walked through him. "You're right. He's an upper level demon like Belthazar. You need a piece of his flesh."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "Sure, make it complicated."

"Actually….." Billie looked a little startled when Cole and Buffy turned to her. She glanced up at Eric. "If Eric can conjure stuff…. Can't he just conjure a piece of this demon's…. flesh?"

"Good idea." Buffy said. She looked at Eric. "Can you?"

"I need his name." Eric said.

"It's Zorastrian." Cole said.

Buffy nodded. "Good. I'll make the potion." Amelia let out a scream as another contraction hit her. "Billie, you stay with Amelia."

"What about me?" Eric asked.

"I'll call you when I need that flesh. You're gonna piss him off and he'll probably try to attack. I'd like to be prepared for that."

"You've got to send me back." Cole said.

"Not yet. You're going to help me remember how to make this potion. I don't remember everything." Buffy turned and headed for the kitchen.

After Buffy had spent an hour listening to Amelia scream with her contractions, Zorastrian trying to break the wards from the outside, and trying to put together a potion in an unfamiliar kitchen that should've been familiar, she finally got the vanquishing potion together minus the one crucial ingredient. Cole watched and helped where he could.

"Your daughter is going to make an extraordinary warrior witch."

"How do you know about her?" Buffy asked.

"I know a lot, Buffy. I'm stuck in the ghostly plane."

"Yeah, Piper told me that last part. I'm glad you helped her. I always had faith in you, Cole. Well…. The good in you, anyway."

"Thanks."

Buffy sighed. "Ok. Time for the icky part. Eric!"

Eric walked in a few moments later rubbing his hand. "Sorry, Amelia was going through another contraction and she got a hold of my hand."

"I need that piece of flesh now."

"Ok." Eric held his hand out and closed his eyes. A moment later they heard howls of pain echoing outside the house. Buffy was thankful the house was the only one within at least a mile of anything and not in the middle of the neighborhood it was in her time. A red piece of flesh appeared in Eric's hand. He looked at it distastefully as Buffy plucked it out of his hand.

"Thank you. Ok, stand back." Buffy stayed a step away from the boiling pot sitting on the old wood stove. She made a neat toss and ducked as the flesh landed in the pot and exploded. "There." Buffy stood up. "Now we just need vials. Or something small and breakable with a lid."

Eric held out his hands and four little glass vials appeared. "Will these work?"

"Perfect." Buffy took them and then realized she didn't have a turkey baster to squirt the liquid into the vials. "Crap." Eric handed her one he'd just conjured. "Thanks!" Buffy used it quickly, filling the four vials up. She gave one to Billie, one to Eric, and kept one for herself. The fourth she would give to Amelia to hold onto incase the demon got in. He was pissed off now and slamming against the barriers of the house. Buffy could feel the barriers weakening with each blow. "Ok, not much time left until this guy comes in. If he gets anywhere near you, throw your vial."

"Got it." Billie said just before the barriers failed and Amelia screamed. Everyone, including Cole's ghost, ran into the sitting room just as the demon threw himself through the front doors.

"I thought they would hold!" Amelia cried.

"It's ok." Buffy said.

"No, it's not." The demon lunged for Buffy and she prepared to throw the potion, but the demon veered left before anyone could blink and knocked Billie to the floor.

"Don't let him scratch you!" Cole cried.

Buffy waved her hand and the demon went flying just before his claws connected with Billie's chest. "Why can't he scratch us?"

"His talons are poisonous."

"Yours weren't."

"But his are. He's like Belthazar, but he's not exactly the same."

"You couldn't have told us this before?" Billie snapped.

"The potion will work on him too. Don't worry. Look out!"

On instinct, Buffy turned and threw the potion. Luckily it shattered right in the middle of the attacking demon's chest. Buffy let out a yelp as she realized how close she was to the blast. She managed to toss Billie and Eric away just as the blast hit her. Buffy went flying back into the hallway and slamming through the very same wall that had killed Prue and nearly Piper years before. Or technically, later since they were in the past.

To her surprise, the skirt cushioned most of the blow, but it still hurt. She winced as she slowly stood up, assessing the damage. Billie and Eric rushed over. "Are you ok!" Eric asked.

"Oh yeah. Peachy. Happens all the time." Buffy rolled her neck. "Through that same wall, too."

"What?"

"Nothing. How's Amelia?"

"She's giving birth." Billie said. "How do you think she is?"

"Touché."

Buffy and Billie walked into Buffy's house as the sun was beginning to rise. Time hadn't gone wonky on them while they were in the past. It had moved at the same speed. Angel rushed down the stairs. "Where have you two been? I've been so worried. Piper and Phoebe are scrying for you and Paige is orbing all over the city."

Buffy giggled slightly. "We were right down the street."

"What?"

Billie caught on to what Buffy was saying and started laughing with the Slayer. "We _were_ right down the street!"

"What is the matter with you two! You've been gone all night!"

"It's a long, LONG story." Buffy said. "And I'm tired."

"We're tired." Billie added.

"And _we're_ going to bed." The two of them walked past Angel and headed upstairs.

"Buffy! We need to talk about what happened to you guys! You were gone all night! Buffy! Buffy! Billie?" He was answered with two simultaneously slamming doors.


	110. Chapter 110

Chapter 110

Buffy walked down the street to the Manor and saw Agent Murphy walking away from the Manor. They'd met not long after Agent Keys had left town. He'd come to ask her questions about the girls' "deaths". Buffy slowed down, making sure he didn't notice her or Alex in her arms, and then rushed up to the door. She heard Piper asking Billie who had been at the door.

"Oh, that? That guy? Um…. just a guy."

"Why was Agent Murphy here?" Buffy asked, walking in before Billie could shut the door.

"That guy from Homeland Security you were telling us about?" Phoebe asked.

"What did he say? What did he want?" Piper asked.

"Well, he said that…. he's been following me." Billie said.

"Why?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. He probably thinks I know something about you guys."

"Great. Just great." Phoebe said.

"Did he follow you to the hospital?" Paige asked.

"What hospital?" Buffy asked.

"You didn't use your powers, did you?"

"Well, I had no choice. The imps were attacking an innocent." Billie defended.

"Imps?" Piper asked.

"According to the Book, imps are these gremlin-like creatures, but way nastier."

"I know what imps are."

"If he saw her use magic, we're screwed." Phoebe said.

"Why? He can't prove you're alive." Billie said. "You don't even look like you."

"Well, he must have known you were connected to us somehow. Otherwise, he wouldn't be following you, right? You shouldn't have sent her out."

"She was just supposed to go and ID the demon." Paige said.

"That's all that I did!" Billie insisted. "Look, imps have an imp master, so if we attack the imp master, we can…."

"No, Billie." Buffy said. "They're guns for hire. They could be working for any demon."

"That's what I'm saying. We get the Imp Master so he can tell us exactly where they are."

"No." Phoebe said. "We're not gonna do anything."

"But I think…."

"No buts." Piper said. "If they're watching you, that means they're watching us, and we need to be careful."

"So what are we supposed to do?" Paige asked.

"We just act normally and live our lives and hopefully he'll go away, sooner or later." Piper looked at Buffy and Paige. "We'll go to P-3 tomorrow just like we planned and…."

"Great!" Paige groaned.

"And you'll go to Napa with Dex."

"Well, I can't go now." Phoebe said.

"Why? He's gonna be here in a few minutes." Buffy said.

"Well, let's just say I'm not in the mood anymore. This ruse isn't really working very well, is it?"

"Well, maybe we need to give it a little more time." Piper said.

"You guys, I'm so sorry." Billie said.

"It's ok, sweetie. It's not your fault." Paige said. Phoebe turned and left without even cooing at Alex.

"So much for happily ever after." Buffy said.

Piper hit the bell sitting on the bar counter at P3 several times. She turned and said to the DJ, "Hi. Listen, top forty only. Really, one power ballad, and you'll never DJ in this state again. Seriously."

Buffy smiled at Angel working behind the bar. "She's hardcore for this."

"She has been all week." Angel said.

"Hi. You. Come here, come here, come here." Piper called. "Table 8. Water spots on the glass. Please fix it, fix it, fix it. Angel, did you do the final sound check?"

"Yes." Angel said.

"You need to relax just a little bit." Buffy said.

"I'll have plenty of time to relax when this thing tanks."

"Why are you worried? This is not gonna tank."

"Because it's what I do best, ok? Dave, where are the mints? We need mints on the table if we're gonna match make here." Someone handed Dave the mints. "Thank you. People, help me out." Piper spotted Paige walking into P3. "Ok, so listen, be nice and try not to blow anyone off until at least the second round."

"I'm here, aren't I?" Paige said.

"Ok." Piper looked at the bouncer at the door. "All right, let 'em in."

Buffy took a seat on a barstool to watch the speed daters walk into the club. A particularly geeky looking young man came down the stairs. He looked at Paige and Piper and smiled. Paige and Piper both smiled back at him. The young man's smile got bigger as he went to find a seat.

"You so owe me." Paige groaned.

Buffy and Piper walked into the attic with Piper yelling, "Are you out of your mind? What did you do now?"

"Do I have to start from the beginning again?" Billie griped.

"I can't believe you did this, with Agent Murphy watching our every move!"

"Skip down. I already went through that with her." Phoebe said.

"I still don't know what I did was so bad." Billie said.

"This…." Phoebe held up the ring on her left finger. "This is what's bad!"

"Whoa! Hey! Wow, that's huge!" Buffy said.

"Look, you guys, I am so sorry, all right?" Billie said. "I know I screwed up with the imps and…. which, actually, I really don't think that I did…. and then I felt bad, like I ruined your lives. I just wanted to fix it. That's it!"

"By getting them married?"

"Well, no, no. Not exactly. But she was supposed to get married anyway, right?"

"Yeah, but normally, not magically." Phoebe said.

"How do you know? How do you know it wasn't supposed to happen exactly like this? She foresaw it, right? She knew it was gonna happen."

"That is completely besides the point!" Piper said.

"I don't think so."

"Well, I do, and I'm older, so what I think counts more."

"Uh…. maybe she's right." Phoebe said. "I mean, maybe this is how it was supposed to happen. How else would you explain Dex and I getting married so quickly?"

"I'm confused. Are we mad at her or not?"

"We're not."

"Oh! Yes! Good. Now can I go back to looking for the Imp Demon?" Billie asked.

"No!" Phoebe and Piper said.

"No? What about the next innocent? What we have learned about this specific demon is if we don't get him, he's gonna keep going after these people!"

"Billie, if we get exposed, we may never be able to help an innocent again." Phoebe said. "Do you understand that?"

"Yeah, but don't…."

"Billie, she's right." Piper said. "You gotta pick your battles, and right now, this is not one of them."

Phoebe walked out of her bedroom, changed out of her wedding dress, with Buffy on her heels. "What are you gonna say to him?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. I'm just gonna wing it." Phoebe said.

"Wing it? He's married. Don't you think he's gonna want to know why?"

"Well, he doesn't have to know it was magic."

"Still, what is he gonna think?"

"Maybe that he got really drunk? I mean, the point is, it happened. So that's what I have to focus him on for his sake and mine."

"Wait, Phoebs, hold it. Hang on a second." Buffy stopped them at the bottom of the stairs. "Hang on. You're really gonna go through with this thing?"

"I don't have a choice."

"Yeah, but Phoebe…."

"I know that this is not my Cinderella wedding, ok? But I also know that everything happens for a reason. So I have to just go with it."

"Till death do you part?"

Before Phoebe could answer, they heard Leo and Dex from the next room. They were shouting and cheering as they watched a football game on television in the Conservatory.

"Oh, man did you see that move?" Leo said.

"Can you believe he held on to that thing?" Dex said.

"Hi. How's it going?" Piper asked. She was standing behind the two men watching them act like men.

"Fine. Are you boys having fun?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah! We're watching the game. Did you know Dex here used to play?"

"No. I didn't know that." Phoebe said.

"Just a little college ball. Nothing, really." Dex said.

Leo nudged him with his elbow, impressed nevertheless. "Oh, come on. Nothing, really."

"Uh, honey, Buffy and I gotta get back to the club." Piper said.

"Ok. Well, I'll see you tonight." Leo turned back to the television.

"Don't you wanna…. walk us to the door?" He looked at her and saw her motioning for him to go with them.

"Oh, uh, sure. Um…. It was nice meeting you. Congratulations." Leo shook Dex's hand.

"Thanks." Dex said.

As Buffy, Leo, and Piper went into the foyer, Phoebe picked up the remote and turned the television set off. "Aren't you even remotely surprised that they're married?" Buffy asked Leo.

"Not at all. She had that premonition." Leo said.

"Yeah, ok. Forget it." Piper said. "Listen, just try and give them a little space, ok? We have to go. Buffy's got an interview."

"An interview? Really, about what?"

"About P-3 and me." Buffy said. "Since it's mine now…. Technically."

"You should be excited."

"I am. Bye." Buffy turned and walked out the door.

"See you later." Piper said, kissing Leo and Chris. "Bye, baby."

Agent Murphy tossed several photos of recent victims on Buffy's desk in the office at P3. The victims were cut-up, beaten, and dead. "Uh…. I'd really like to help you, Agent Murphy, but I have an interview."

"You know, if I showed these photos to most people, more than likely they'd be shocked or repulsed. But not you."

"I internalize a lot."

"Or you're more used to seeing these kind of victims than you're letting on."

"Agent Murphy, I just run a night club. That's all."

"Just like Piper used to, right?"

"She left it to me, so I'm trying to run just like Piper used to. Yes."

"You know, I've been watching you ever since she and her sisters disappeared."

"Don't you mean since they 'died'?"

"You tell me. Look…. I'm not the hard-ass Agent Keyes was, all right? He left me behind because he didn't believe the Halliwells were really dead. Even though we both think you know exactly what really happened, the difference is, I don't wanna bust you or them. I just want help. I need it. For the past month, people have been showing up dead for reasons no one can really explain, but I think you and your cousins know exactly who or what is responsible."

"By 'what' you mean…."

"You know exactly what I mean. Things beyond normal. Powerful things like yourself. Of course, like everything else, there are good things and bad things. But if you're not doing anything to stop this, then…. as far as I'm concerned, you're on the wrong side. And I don't know how you can live with yourselves."

Buffy's cell phone jangled just before she was about to snap back at Agent Murphy. "I'm sorry. I really need to get this." She handed the photos back to Agent Murphy.

"You have my number." Agent Murphy took the photos and left.

Buffy looked down at the text message. It said 911- CALL HOME. BILLIE IN TROUBLE. Buffy groaned and went out into the main area of the club. Piper and Angel were discussing something at the bar. "What did Agent Murphy want?" Angel asked.

"To help apparently." Buffy said.

"What does that mean?" Piper asked.

"I don't know. And I don't have time to figure it out. We gotta get gone."

"Why? What's wrong?" Piper asked.

"Billie's in trouble." Buffy held up her cell phone. "I just got the text."

The crystal swirled around over the map as Paige scryed the old-fashioned way for Billie. Buffy, Angel, and Piper walked in. "Any sign of Billie?" Piper asked.

"Well, just that she's in the area." Paige said.

"What do you mean, she's 'in the area'?" Angel asked.

"She's moving around so much, I'm having a hard time getting a lock on her. You know, we should upgrade to her GPS scrying system."

Phoebe was standing over the open Book of Shadows with a pad and pen in her hand. "Well, if she survives this, we'll ask her how. At least we know what we're up against. She left the Book open to the demon. Problem is, only the Power of Three spell is going to vanquish him."

"I don't understand why she would go up against a demon she can't vanquish." Buffy said.

"Well, I'll make sure to ask her that if she's still alive. I can't believe we're doing this again."

"Agent Murphy thinks all of us never should have stopped."

"You didn't." Piper said.

"He doesn't know that, though."

"Wait. Does he know who we really are?" Phoebe asked.

"No, but he's getting warmer."

The crystal hit the map just as the downstairs door slammed shut. "Guess who."

Buffy and Angel, closest to the door, rushed out. The others followed closely behind. Buffy saw Billie walking through the foyer when Antosis shimmered into the house behind her. "Looking for me, are you?"

"Antosis. I'm flattered." Billie said.

"And of course, you've already met my friend." The Imp Master appeared next to him. He waved to her. "Or rather, his friends."

"What do you want?"

"You. Alone. And out of my way." Antosis headed over to her as the Imp Master lurched and the Imps appeared out of his body, red and swirling around him. He smiled as he walked toward her. Piper, Paige and Phoebe hid away from view on the stairs. Piper started to motion to blast Antosis, but Phoebe stopped her.

"No! Wait."

"Are you kidding me? There's demons in the house." Piper whispered back.

"But she said she has a plan."

"I am curious." Antosis said. "What made you think you could take me out all by yourself?"

"Oh…. I know I can't take you out." She held up a potion vial filled with red liquid. "But I can take them out." She threw the bottle at the Imp Master. It smashed at his feet and started to destroy the Imps. He convulsed and screamed with each tiny explosion. Finally, he exploded as well. "Only The Charmed Ones can vanquish you."

"Too bad they're dead."

"Are they?"

The Charmed Ones took that as their cue. "Hear us now, the witches' call, he who makes Samaritans fall, we speak as one, the sisters three, and banish you to eternity." A powerful wave surrounded Antosis and swirled around him. He started screaming and finally exploded, the power receding back into the floor.

"I wanna learn how to do that!" Billie said.

"And by the way, are you crazy?" Piper asked. "Really, you could have been killed."

"Well, yeah, I would have been if you guys would have gotten home earlier." Billie said. "I've been walking around outside for like an hour!"

"You took a huge risk." Paige said.

"For all of us." Piper said.

"Thank you."


	111. Chapter 111

Chapter 111

Paige and Phoebe toyed listlessly with their breakfasts as Piper and Leo walked in from the foyer.

Buffy, Angel, and Alex orbed into the dining room. "Morning." Buffy said.

"Hey, I thought you were taking Angel to meet Eric this morning." Piper said.

"Phoebe called and said she wanted to talk to me."

"What's the matter with you guys?" Piper asked.

"Oh, I don't know. I guess the same thing that's been bothering you guys." Phoebe said.

"What makes you think something's bothering us?" Leo asked.

"Thin walls." Paige said.

"You've been eavesdropping?" Piper asked.

"Only from the bathroom." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, and the hallway." Paige said. "Don't worry. I haven't been listening to any…. you know, funny stuff."

"How long has this been going on?" Piper asked.

"Since like the fourth or fifth grade." Phoebe said. Buffy nodded her assent.

Piper closed her eyes and turned to looked at Leo. He smiled back at her. "I'll fix it." He said.

"Basically, I don't think this whole thing is working for any of us anymore." Paige said.

"I don't think it ever worked." Phoebe said.

"Well, it helped you find a new life outside of fighting demons." Leo said.

"Which is something we need to keep trying to do." Piper said.

"Well, we've got Billie, so that's gonna make it easier." Buffy said.

"Yeah, but it doesn't solve our bigger problem which is how we're gonna get outta this mess." Phoebe said. "I am so tired of pretending to be someone else. I miss me."

"Well, maybe that's what your premonition was for. Maybe you wouldn't have realized that if you hadn't married Dex."

"Yeah, but I didn't marry Dex. Julie married Dex."

"I think that's her point." Angel said. "I think that's everyone's point. You want your old identities back."

"Are we sure we really wanna do this?" Piper asked.

"Positive." Paige said.

"Absolutely." Phoebe said.

They looked at Leo and he nodded. "All right then." Piper said. "Are you sure you can rework the spell?"

"Oh, I already have." Phoebe said, pulling out a piece of paper. "I call upon the ancient powers to unmask us now and in future hours show us well, and thoroughly reveal ourselves so the world can see." The mirror flashed and their old images were back.

"Whoo. That's more like it." Paige said.

"It's good to be back. Although Dex is gonna freak out." Phoebe said.

"Everyone's gonna freak out, because technically, you're still dead." Buffy said.

"How, exactly, are you gonna explain this?" Angel asked.

"Actually, I've got an idea on that one." Buffy handed Alex to Angel. "You and Leo just chill here. Piper, Phoebe, and Paige, you guys need to get dressed. I'm going to make a call."

The elevator doors opened and Buffy stepped out into the hallway with Piper, Phoebe, and Paige right behind her. They walked over to the receptionist who saw them and stood up, her face full of surprise. "Hi." Buffy said brightly. "How's it going? We have an appointment with Agent Murphy."

"Who….. who should I say is asking?"

"You know what? We'll just surprise him." Buffy opened the door and walked in. Agent Murphy looked up from his work and stopped as he saw Piper, Phoebe, and Paige walk into his office behind Buffy.

"What the hell?" He cried.

"What's the matter, Agent Murphy? You look like you just saw a ghost." Buffy said.

"Keyes was right."

"So were you. Did you mean it when you said you just wanted our help, that you weren't here to bust us?"

"How…."

"We were all magically disguised." Phoebe said.

"Come on. Don't look so surprised." Piper said.

"Besides, you yourself said we were these powerful things." Buffy said.

"Powerful witches, to be exact." Phoebe said. "And a Slayer slash witch."

"Who did exactly what you wanted." Paige said. "Getting rid of that bad, bad demon who was hurting those good, Good Samaritans."

"Demons?" Murphy asked.

Phoebe looked at Buffy. "You know, he seems awfully shocked for a guy that claims to know about the supernatural."

"You're right. Maybe we should go." Buffy said. They turned to leave.

"Wait, no, no, don't. Please. Look, it's just…. it's one thing to believe in the stuff but another to actually…. see it."

"Fair enough." Paige said.

"Ok, here's the deal." Piper said. "You wanna know more about who we are and what we do, we'll tell you."

"And help you out with a few cases along the way." Phoebe said. "If you help us."

"And you don't get too greedy." Buffy said.

"And if you protect our secret." Paige said.

"Or else what?" Murphy asked. "What, is that some sort of threat?"

"You don't want to know." Phoebe said.

"Ok. What do you want me to do?"

Buffy and Angel sat curled up in their living room watching the TV while Alex played on the floor in front of them. Agent Murphy was on the TV talking to a group from the media. "I can't talk about the specifics of the case the sisters are involved in, ok? All I can say is it involved a threat to national security and that our agency got involved to protect them. That's it." The reporters started shouting their questions.

"What kind of threat, sir? What kind of threat?"

"I already said they were a witness to a crime, an attempt was made on their lives. We only falsified their deaths in order to flush out the perpetrators."

"What about their cousin? A Buffy Summers?"

"She volunteered to remain in the open to help us catch the perpetrators. All right? No more questions." Agent Murphy left and the newscaster came back on the screen. "And more late-breaking news…."

Buffy shut the TV off. "We're back."

"Are you sure they're ok with it?" Angel asked.

"More than. It's going to be hectic, but we'll all get through this."

Piper was looking at her reflection in the mirror in the office at P3. "How do I look?"

"Not bad, considering you've been dead." Buffy said, standing with Paige by the door.

"Well, I just hope this blows over sooner rather than later."

"Don't count on it." Paige said. "We're not that lucky. All right. We can do this. We are back and better than ever."

"I'll hold you to that."

"Ready?" Buffy asked.

"As I'll ever be?"

Buffy opened the door and allowed Paige and Piper to step out into the club ahead of her. One girl cried, "There they are!" And cameras started flashing and the crowd that had gathered began applauding them. Paige and Piper nervously faced the crowds while Buffy tried to remain hidden behind the two.

Paige just shrugged. "We're back."


	112. Chapter 112

Chapter 112

Piper was working at the kitchen table carving a large pumpkin. Lined over the table is the issue of The Bay Mirror with the headline "What's The Big Secret?" with a photo of the sisters and Buffy gracing the front page. On the newspaper was the guts of the pumpkin. Piper had a hand-held electric knife and was using it to carve the pumpkin.

Buffy walked in with Paige. "Geez, Piper! What'd that pumpkin ever do to you?"

"Nothing. I'm venting." Piper said. The phone rang and Paige automatically headed over to the phone to answer it, but Piper stopped her. "No. Don't get that. It could be Oprah's people again. They want to do a special on lady spies."

"Lady spies?" Paige asked.

"You heard me, and some producer's been calling for the movie rights to our cover story."

"I guess it's better than TV, right?"

"Trust me. We won't be doing TV either."

"Well, it's, uh…. it's a little late for that, actually."

Before Paige could explain, Billie walked in. "Little late for what?" She asked.

"What are you doing here?"

"Oh, it's funny you should ask. Actually, I…."

"Ya know, we really need to do something about this." Piper said. "It's not good."

"It's gonna blow over." Paige said.

"Really? Does this look like it's blowing over?" Piper reached over and pointed to The Bay Mirror newspaper front page story on them.

Paige walked over to the table and sat down. "Eww."

"It's a good picture." Billie said. Piper glared at her. "Well, it is."

"Ok." Buffy said. "This isn't about the witch or the Slayer secret. They're just trying to figure out what we're all doing with homeland security, and you know what? They're not going to find out anything."

"Well, they're going to keep looking until they find something, and that something could easily turn into a witch hunt." Piper said.

"Oh, speaking of hunting…." Billie started.

"Nothing is going to happen." Buffy said, not hearing Billie.

"Really? Cause something happened to Prue." Buffy sighed and looked down at her shoes for a moment. "We die to have normal lives. We come back from the dead to get our old lives back, and, somehow, we end up living in a fishbowl. You know, Agent Murphy was supposed to protect us from this."

Buffy reached over and removed the knife out of Piper's grip. "Ok. I'm going to disarm you now."

"It's all gonna be ok. I promise." Paige said.

"How can you promise that?" Piper asked.

"Well, I'm not entirely sure, but I promise that it's gonna be, because you know what? You and Buffy are just gonna take care of Halloween, and I am gonna deal with getting the press off of our backs."

"And I will focus on my demon." Billie said.

"What demon?" Piper asked.

"Just the one I've been tracking. No big deal. I can take him."

"Oh, no. Actually, you're not taking anybody." Paige said.

"No, somebody's gotta take him down. He's…. he's killing other demons and gaining power by the day."

"Great. Witch vanquishes demon. Film at 11." Piper groaned.

"No. The press doesn't even know who I am, that's why I'm the perfect girl for the job. Plus, I wanna do it."

"Why do you want to do it?" Buffy asked.

"So I can show you guys that I can. Come on. Please. I know I can do this."

"Fine, but if you get caught on tape, I will vanquish you." Piper said.

Thinking she was joking, Billie laughed, but Piper returned to her pumpkin. "She's serious?"

"Just don't get caught." Buffy advised.

The doorbell rang and Paige turned to leave the kitchen. "Trick-or-treaters?"

"A day early?"

Buffy and Piper headed to answer the door. Piper reached out and opened the door and cameras flashed in her eyes as reporters clamored to ask their questions. Standing in front of the pack was Seth Parra, tape recorder in hand. "Seth Parra, Bay Mirror. So, what's the big secret?"

Piper laughed weakly as she shut the front door. "We're screwed."

Buffy and Piper sat at the dining room table separating the Halloween candy into various piles. Paige bound down the stairs and stopped when she saw them. "Hey. I think I figured out how to, uh…. what are you doing?"

"We're organizing the candy for tomorrow." Piper said. "We have chocolate, sugar free, and chocolate with nuts."

"Well, isn't part of the fun of Halloween the whole mixed bowl thing?"

"Apparently not anymore." Buffy said.

"I don't want any allergic reactions or angry parents. We've got enough problems as it is."

"Speaking of those problems, I think I have figured out how to get the press off of our broomsticks." Paige gasped when she saw three rats scampering along the wall. "Holy…. we have rats."

"Yeah, they're everywhere. Get used to 'em. So what's this big solution?"

"Where did they come from?"

Buffy pointed to each rat in turn. "The San Francisco Chronicle, uh, The Daily News, and The Enquirer. I found them nosing around the garbage."

"So you turned them into rodents?"

"Not me! Piper."

"I could've blown them up." Piper said.

Paige shook her head. "Ok. Uh, here's the thing. If we get Phoebe to talk to this reporter who's leading the charge…. luckily he works at her paper…. we can…."

"How's that gonna help?"

"Because…. if she can convince him that we are completely uninteresting, then hopefully he'll just go away and take all the lemming reporters with him."

"They're more like rats."

"I wish I'd never said that." Buffy said.

"And I will be the pied piper of Prescott Street, leading them away from the Manor…. Manors." Paige said. "Sadly, Piper, you have to turn them back."

"No!" Piper groaned.

"Piper."

"You're no fun." Piper got up and followed the rats into the conservatory. The rats were headed out the door. She threw the potions bottle at them. It exploded, sending a cloud of white smoke everywhere. Three reporters were standing outside the door looking very confused. "What are y'all waiting for? You're trespassing. This is private property. What are you, crazy?"

Buffy giggled as they scurried off. Then her cell phone rang. She reached over and grabbed it out of her purse. "Hello?"

"Hey."

"Hey Phoebs! You ok?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Yeah, ok."

"Not on the phone, though."

"Lunch?"

"Please?"

"Ok. Meet me at P3. I'll bring the lunch."

"Thanks."

Buffy and Phoebe sat at the bar finishing their salads Buffy had picked up on the way. Angel was back in the office working on some paperwork for a shipment of alcohol he needed to order. Buffy wiped her mouth and put her napkin on the bar. "Ok, what's going on? You haven't said more than two words since you got here."

"Uh…." Phoebe put her napkin down and took a deep breath. "I'm pregnant."

"Oh, Phoebes…. Dex?"

"No. Actually, some guy that I met at the gas station. Yes. Of course Dex."

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. I took the test this morning."

"What are you gonna do?"

"I don't know. I mean, I guess I'm gonna have to talk to him, but…. I don't even know if he'll talk to me."

"Want me to force him into a chair and tie him up?"

Phoebe let out a short burst of laughter. "No. But thanks."

Buffy nodded and took Phoebe's hands. "Seriously, you just need to talk to him. I know he's having a difficult time processing everything, but if he's going to be a father then he's got to step up to the plate."

Phoebe nodded. "I'm gonna go talk to him."

"Good." Buffy hugged Phoebe tightly. "Call me after, ok?" Phoebe nodded, grabbed her purse, and left.

Angel walked out of the office. "Everything ok?"

"Yeah." Buffy sighed. "No. Phoebe's pregnant."

"Wow. Dex?"

"Yeah."

Angel wrapped his arms around Buffy. "Are you ok?"

"Yeah. Just worried about Phoebe is all. Why?"

"You seemed a little…. I don't know."

"What?"

"I don't know. I just thought I sensed something different about you."

"Finally you notice the haircut I got two weeks ago."

"I said I was sorry!"

Buffy smiled. "I just don't get guys and their aversion to noticing women's hair and shoes."

"I pay attention to your shoes! I even commented on those heels you bought last week."

Buffy rolled her eyes. "I bought them three weeks ago and I've worn them three times before you noticed last week."

"I'm a guy, Buffy. Just because I'm almost 200 years old doesn't make me an expert in noticing my wife's changes in hair and clothing."

"And accessories."

"And accessories."

"Did you pick up Alex's Halloween costume?"

"It's in the office. Why on earth did you pick that costume?"

"Because her daddy's Irish, she's half Irish…. I thought it would be cute."

"Oh, it's cute! I was just wondering why not a princess or Dora the Explorer? She's crazy about Dora."

"Yeah, and so are countless other little girls. I want mine to be original." Buffy headed into the office to grab the costume.

A large cloud of white smoke rose from the boiling pot on the stove in front of Piper. Phoebe sat across the table from her with Buffy sitting next to her. "'I like you, Phoebe, a lot, but you're a witch, so bye-bye,' you know? And that's just a little bit of my bigger problem."

"What did you tell Paige? She's got some hair-brained scheme up her sleeve." Piper said.

Phoebe didn't hear her and kept talking to Buffy. "You know what? I am a wreck. My boobs feel enormous, and all I want to do is eat all of this candy."

"Have a candy corn. We've got plenty." Buffy said.

"Why does everything have to be so difficult? I mean, why can't it just be easy? And I'm sorry, but what am I supposed to tell Dex? 'Hey, I know you don't want to be with me 'cause I'm a witch, but you know what? I'm pregnant, so tough.'"

"What?" Piper exclaimed. A camera flashed through the window and she walked over to the window and readjusted the curtains. "Vermin! Ohh! Uh, uh…. could you repeat that?"

"Wait, I told you, didn't I?"

"No, you didn't tell me. I think I would remember the small embryo part!"

"Oh, you know what, I might have told Paige. I know I told Buffy."

"You told Paige and you didn't tell me?"

"Well, I'm pregnant, ok? I'm a little scatter-brained right now. Forgive me."

"Well, I'm sorry, it's a little too early for you to use that excuse. Are you sure?"

"I took the test."

"Well, nothing's for sure until you see your doctor and have a blood test. Did you do that?"

"No, but it all times out, doesn't it? I just don't understand why it can't be with a guy who accepts me for who I am."

"Well, he's obviously scared and confused about who you are." Buffy said. "The only thing you can do is keep trying to talk to him."

"I've tried."

"So try again. I mean, if he's not gonna listen, then you need to write him a letter. He reads your column, doesn't he?"

"Wait. Write him a letter in 'Ask Phoebe'?"

"Yeah! That should get his attention. Drastic times call for drastic measures…. And you won't let me hog tie him…. You guys need to work this out soon, especially if there's a new baby to think about."

Billie walked in. "Oh. Hello."

"Hey." Phoebe said.

"What happened to you?" Piper asked.

Billie looked at her bandaged-wrapped hand. "Oh, this? It's nothing. You should see the other guy."

"Did you vanquish him?"

"No, but I'm going to. I just have to go get some more potions, so…. bye." Billie walked out of the room. Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe exchanged looks and then followed her.

"What happened to the potions you had?" Piper asked.

"Um, I just didn't have enough of them."

"Why not?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, I sort of left them."

"Left them with the demons?" Buffy asked.

"You know, it's no big deal. No worries. Rome wasn't built in a day, right?"

Billie turned to go upstairs, but Piper stopped her. "Billie!"

"Tell us what happened." Phoebe said.

"I don't know. I was completely prepared. I researched the demon, I mixed the potions correctly and…. but I just froze." Billie said.

"You froze? What do you mean?" Buffy asked. "Why?"

"I don't know why. It was so weird. It was nothing that he did, but it was like…. it was like déjà vu."

"So wait, you think you've seen him before?"

"How is that possible?" Piper asked.

Billie didn't answer as she stared out in front of her with fear. They followed her gaze to a pumpkin Piper had carved. "What's the matter?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, nothing. Those things have always creeped me out." Billie said.

"You can fight demons, but you're afraid of pumpkins?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not afraid of pumpkins."

"Ok, you're obviously afraid of something, otherwise you wouldn't have frozen, right? And it's ok. I mean, it happens to all of us. You just have to figure out why. You know, what triggered it."

"Do you think it's some kind of latent memory?" Phoebe asked.

"Latent memory?" Billie asked.

"Unresolved issue." Piper said. "Look, whatever it is, you gotta figure it out, and until then, you're not fighting any more demons."

"Oh, come on, everyone has baggage."

"Yeah, well, everybody doesn't fight demons. Now there's a first-aid kit upstairs for your hand."

Billie sighed and got up to go upstairs. "You think we're expecting too much from her?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't think she's ready for any of this. Could be making a big mistake." Piper said.


	113. Chapter 113

Chapter 113

Phoebe walked out of the kitchen carrying a cup of something to drink. She walked through the dining room and into the sitting room. The front door opened and Buffy pushed her way into the house amidst the reporters and camera flashes while balancing Alex on her hip.

"Get! Get lost. Get a life or something." Buffy snapped. She put Alex down on the stairs and watched as her little girl climbed up the stairs carefully. As soon as she heard Wyatt's voice talking to Alex, she turned and walked over to Phoebe. "I thought Paige got rid of them."

"Sometimes I just wonder if it wouldn't be better to just let the truth out." Phoebe said.

"You're serious."

"Yeah. I mean why not? It couldn't get any worse."

"Well, yeah, actually it could. Remember what happened when we got exposed before? And just think of how Dex reacted."

"Yeah. I am."

"You spoke to him again?"

"Yeah. I don't know. It's just so complicated. You know, I find this guy…. this great guy, and then the spell and the premonitions just mess everything up, and I'm left to wonder how I really feel about him. It's just so not fair."

"Well, how do you feel?"

"Well, I like him…. a lot. But do I love him? Do I want to have his baby and spend the rest of our lives together? I just…. I don't know. And how can I know? Ehh, none of this makes sense."

"Maybe you should retake that test." There was a bang and the front door opened. Leo rushed into the house and slammed the door. He looked even worse than before and a bruise was forming on his right cheek. "Leo! What happened?"

"Where's Piper?" Leo asked.

"She's in the kitchen." Phoebe said.

Leo headed toward the kitchen and a couple of minutes later, he and Piper stormed upstairs in the middle of a fight. Phoebe and Buffy watched them go like they'd watched countless fights between Prue and Grams or Piper and Grams or Piper and Prue go up those same stairs. Buffy shook her head. "It's good to know that some things stay the same."

"Did you get Alex's Halloween costume?" Phoebe asked.

"Angel picked it up yesterday."

"Does it fit her?"

"Yes. I even got little black Irish dance shoes."

"At least her hair is naturally curly."

"That's a big plus."

"Come on. I know those packs come in twos. Let's go retake that test." Buffy pulled Phoebe to her feet and they headed upstairs.

The door opened and Paige walked in inviting all the reporters, cameras, and other media people into the house. "Ok, welcome. Welcome to our, uh…. lovely home." She said to the reporters. "Please go on through. Go on through. That's right."

Seth stepped into the house and looked at Paige. "So what's the catch, huh? We all gonna get threatened this time?"

"Well, only if you steal Buffy and Piper's candy. Ha ha ha. All right, after you. That's right. Ooh, wait there for me." Paige slammed the door shut and headed to the front of the group to start the 'tour.' "The house was built in 1898. We're actually the third generation to own it. Although not really headline worthy."

"Paige, what are you doing?" Phoebe asked as she and Buffy came out of the kitchen.

"Ahh, Phoebe, lovely woman, fascinating life. But since she has a daily column in the paper, there's really not much left to write about, is there? And our dear cousin Buffy, she's more like a sister than a cousin. She has a beautiful little girl and she helps Piper run P3. Smile for the cameras." The cameraman snapped a couple of pictures of Phoebe and Buffy. Paige noticed the look on Phoebe's face. "Ahh…. give us a second." They stepped aside in the dining room. "What's going on?"

"I retook the test. It looks like the first one was wrong." Phoebe said.

"Aw, honey I'm sorry." Paige said.

"Now, you're talking about the case, are you? I mean, you don't care to give us a quote?"

"No. We're actually discussing something private, but I promise it's not newsworthy. Shall we?" Paige showed them to the stairs.

Buffy watched them go and then looked at Phoebe. "Piper and Leo are still arguing."

"Piper's gonna kill Paige." Phoebe said.

"Probably. Hopefully not before we can tell them my news though."

"You've gotta tell Angel first."

"I've got to be 100% sure first. Then I'll tell Angel."

"Well, the doctor's appointment is tomorrow morning."

"I'm lucky they fit me in on such short notice."

Phoebe gave Buffy a tight hug. "And if you are?"

"Um…. Yay?"

Piper paced the floor, Paige was at the potions table boiling a new batch, Angel tended to Billie's wounds, and Phoebe and Buffy sat on the couch. Billie had gone after Dogon after erasing some of her bad memories that had made her freeze up against him and he'd beaten her pretty badly before Paige had come to her rescue.

"We don't have much time. He's gonna track her here sooner or later." Piper said.

"Hey, is the press still outside?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know. I'm afraid to look."

"Did you use mandrake root or mustard seed?" Paige asked.

"Mandrake root." Billie said.

"Now, why didn't you tell us what you were doing? How come you hid it from us?" Phoebe asked.

"Because I thought I could handle it. I didn't want you guys to give up on me."

"Now, why would you think that?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I overheard Phoebe and Piper saying yesterday about how you didn't think I could handle all this, and I just didn't want it to be true."

"Why did you think erasing bad memories could help you vanquish the demon?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. All I know is it didn't work."

"Magic can't erase fears." Phoebe said. "They're part of what makes us what we are, and the only way to overcome them is to actually face them."

"I don't want face this one."

"Face what?" Angel asked.

"The night my sister was taken. My mom was putting us both to bed, and it was raining outside. Christy climbed up into her bed and the balcony doors opened. This dark figure came flying in and went after Christy. She was screaming as it took her. That was the last time I ever saw her."

"So you have faced this demon before." Phoebe said.

"No, I haven't. The Dogon is different. I know that now, but he just reminded me of the one that took Christy."

"What did your parents do?" Buffy asked.

"Nothing. I was never allowed to talk about it. They just told me an evil man kidnapped her."

"They didn't tell you it was a demon?" Phoebe asked.

"They didn't know anything about demons. They just thought I saw a monster under the bed or something like that. They thought I made the whole thing up."

"And now you know you didn't." Paige said.

Billie shook her head just before Dogon shimmered in next to Billie and wrapped his claw-like hands around her neck. "Move and she dies."

Billie reached out and took the potions bottle from Piper sitting in front of her. "Don't worry." Billie whispered just before the Dogon shimmered out with her.

"Ok, what now?" Paige asked.

"We trust her." Phoebe and Buffy said.

The doorbell rang and Buffy answered the door with Piper. Buffy was dressed in jeans and a pink tank top with pink shimmery wings and glitter in her hair and on her face, neck, and arms. Piper was in a mouse costume carrying Chris dressed as a wizard. Alex was out with Leo, Wyatt, and Angel trick-or-treating. Buffy was going to join them in a little while.

The children yelled, "Trick-or-treat!"

"Wow! Look at you guys." Buffy said.

"Are you a pirate? Wow, and a dinosaur, and a very scary ghost." Piper said.

"Not as scary as mine was." Paige said.

"Uh-huh."

"Ok, guys, take as much as you want." Buffy said. "Oh, careful, careful, careful. Easy now. Easy. Careful. Oops. Pass it back. There you guys go. Ok, have a great night."

"It's a candy riot."

"Bye. Be careful." Paige said.

"I think we just got robbed."

"I think so." Buffy agreed.

Paige closed the door and Piper took Chris into the sitting room and put him down in his play pen. "Oh, my goodness." She sighed.

"Hey, if you want to go trick-or-treating with the others, I can watch Chris." Paige offered.

"Oh, no. That's ok. I think Leo and I need some space. Apparently, we're having some issues."

"I hope it's nothing serious."

"No. You know, I don't think so. I think just with everything that's been going on, we've taken each other for granted a little bit, and, you know, we'll be fine."

"I hope so."

"Yeah. Well, now that, you know, all the press is gone and things'll calm down a little bit."

"Yeah, except for the demons."

"Buzz kill." Buffy shot at Paige.

"What? They know we're back. It's only a matter of time."

"I know, but, you know, we've got Billie to pick up the slack. She can do it."

"Ya think?"

"Yeah. What do you mean? She handled the Dogon ok, didn't she?"

"Yeah. I mean, just the whole thing about her discovering that her sister was kidnapped by a demon. I don't know how soon she's gonna get over that one." Piper said.

"Ok, enough doom and gloom talk." Buffy announced. "I'm going to go trick-or-treating. See ya!"

Buffy sat with Phoebe in the living room of her house with Angel. She'd just gotten back from the doctor. "So all those pregnancy symptoms were coming from you."

"Must have. You were channeling me." Buffy sighed.

"Are you ok with this?"

"Yeah! I've always wanted a family with Angel. And I already knew we were going to have more kids. I have future Wyatt's big mouth to thank for that."

"But…."

"I don't know. Nerves, maybe?"

"There's nothing to be nervous about. You're a great mom. Angel is a great dad. And you've got three great sisters to help you take care of this new baby just like we all did with Alex. And Wyatt. And Chris."

Buffy smiled as she heard orbs from the foyer. "Angel's home."

"Want me to leave?"

"No! Stay. Please."

"Hey Phoebe. Hi, sweetheart." Angel kissed Buffy as he sat down next to her.

"Hey Angel." Phoebe said with a huge grin on her face.

"What's going on?"

"I've got some news for you." Buffy said.

"Phoebe's not pregnant. She retook the test and it came out negative. You told me."

"No. No, _she's_ not pregnant. We got four packages just to be sure and I took a couple of the tests…. Just to make sure they worked."

"Her tests came out different from mine." Phoebe said.

"Yours came out positive?" Angel asked Buffy. Buffy nodded her head. "Are you sure?"

"I went to the doctor today." Buffy said. "I'm sure."

Angel's face lit up. "Buffy, that's amazing! That's wonderful!" He hugged her tightly, kissing her neck. "That's the best news!"

"Yeah."

"You're not happy?"

"No, I am! I'm just…. It kinda came out of left field. I think it needs to sink in and then I can be all yay."

Angel kissed her gently. "We'll be ok." He smiled. "It's a good thing we bought this big house. Alex can have her own room and we can turn the fourth bedroom into a room for the new baby. It'll be a project to help you take your mind off your nerves."

"Great idea!" Phoebe said enthusiastically. "I want to help."

Buffy laughed. "I don't want to work on anything until we know what the baby is."

"We need to go tell Piper and Paige and Leo!" Angel said, jumping up. "We've got to call everyone in Sunnydale! And Cordy and Doyle!"

"Slow down, slugger. We've got plenty of time."

Phoebe smiled and got to her feet, pulling Buffy with her. "Come on. We're going for a walk."

"Where?" Buffy asked.

"To the Manor. Piper will kill you if you don't tell her the same day you find out."

"True."

"Come on, Angel." Phoebe grabbed his hand and hauled them out the door.


	114. Chapter 114

Chapter 114

Buffy sat in the kitchen drinking orange juice and reading the paper while Leo took practice swings with a golf club and Piper complained to the phone. After Angel had gone to work at the club, Buffy had brought Alex over to play with baby Chris since Wyatt was at preschool.

"Yeah, no. I-I-I realize we haven't had a band in a couple of months…. But haven't you read the papers? I've been helping Homeland….." Buffy heard the line disconnect and a dial tone come through. "Security." She hung the phone up. "It even sounds ridiculous to me. I don't get it. It's, you know, two lousy months, and suddenly I'm ice cold."

"Bands will be back." Leo said. "P-3's still the hottest club in town."

"Oh, yeah? When?" Piper ducked as Leo swung. "Hey. Watch it."

"Sorry. Listen, do you want me to talk to Smitty? I'm playing golf with him this afternoon."

"No. I don't like that guy. He's slimy."

"Yeah, but he's got connections. He got you The Donnas."

"Fine. Let him win." Smiling, Leo leaned forward and kissed Piper. He turned and headed out of the kitchen. Piper turned to Buffy. "How are you feeling?"

"Good. No morning sickness, but since Phoebe's learning to _not_ channel me, I can now feel the enormous boobs and never-ending hunger."

Paige walked into the kitchen. "I didn't know Leo golfed."

"Yeah, he does, but not very well. Don't tell him." Piper said.

"Why are you so dressed up?" Buffy asked.

Paige took a cup out of the cupboard. "Well, the Elders have assigned me a charge, a future Whitelighter."

"Is that a good thing?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. It is if he's cute."

As Paige filled her cup with coffee, Phoebe rushed into the kitchen saying, "Don't you ever answer call waiting?"

"Why?" Piper asked.

"Well, Agent Murphy's been trying to get through. He's got a case for us."

"A case?" Paige asked. "What are we, Charlie's Witches? We don't work for him."

"Apparently, he seems to think that we do, especially after reminding me over and over that he bailed us out of our little jam."

"That's blackmail." Piper said.

"No, that's your taxpayer dollars at work."

"Yeah? Well, I can't. I have to go deal with a charge." Paige said.

"No, no, no, no, no. You're not dumping this in my lap, Missy. I am very busy, too. I have dates…. lots and lots of dates."

"Are you trying to get pregnant again?" Piper asked. "We've got enough pregnant women around here. Ok, well woman. But that's plenty."

"No. I'm trying to find love. So I don't have any more time than you guys do to go through cold cases."

"What do you mean cold cases?" Buffy asked.

"Well, there are cases that Murphy seems to think have some supernatural angle to them, so he wants us to go through boxes to see if we can find anything."

"How many boxes?" Piper asked.

The agent opened the warehouse door for Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe. Inside were shelves and shelves and shelves of file boxes. Piper's jaw dropped. "You have got to be kidding me!"

The government agent led them into the warehouse. "Agent Murphy says he wants you to start with these. They're rated para-7 suspicion and higher."

"Para-7?"

"Paranormal." He picked up the box of latex gloves off the table and handed them to Piper. "Don't forget to wear protective gloves. We don't want the evidence tainted." He passed them tp Phoebe and Buffy in turn and then headed back to the door.

"Wait a minute. Where are you going? Hey, you can't just leave us here." Phoebe said as he closed the doors on them.

"This can't be legal." Buffy said.

"Apparently it is." Phoebe grabbed a pair of gloves out of the box. "Let's just get this over with so we can find something."

"You know, Agent Murphy can't make us do this on a weekly basis. It's boring."

"Well, if he does, we'll just turn him into a frog or something." Phoebe pulled on the gloves as Piper's phone rang. She reached for it and Phoebe sent her a stern glare. "Don't you answer that."

Piper answered it. "Hello. Hey, how's it going? Of course I can make it."

"Piper, no, you cannot."

Piper shrugged. "Ok. See you later." She hung up. "I got to go. It's Leo's music buddy. He's trying to get me a band. It's very, very important. You should probably leave those off because you'll get a premonition easier without them. Ok?" Piper turned and smoothly headed for the door. "Um, so I'll be back in a jiffy." She opened the door. "Ok. See you later." She slammed the door shut.

Phoebe and Buffy exchanged glances and groaned. "All this dust can't be good for me in my…. Condition."

Phoebe grunted. "Please. You fought demons while you were pregnant last time. Dust won't kill you."

"We should call Billie!" Buffy grinned.

"Why, so you can bail?"

"No."

"You're not a very good liar."

"This is boring!"

"And you're not abandoning me to it!"

Buffy sighed. "Fine. But can we please still call Billie? It'll get done a lot faster."

"She's not going to want to do this crap."

"Tell her it's demons. She'll come running."

"Oh, good idea." Phoebe pulled out her cell phone.

Billie tried on a pair of sunglasses as she paused going through the evidence boxes. "Wow. These are so Greta Garbo. Hey, now there's a woman that didn't need a man to make her feel complete."

Phoebe and Buffy were looking through other boxed in between the shelves. Phoebe was on the phone and Buffy was just glancing into each box. "Hey, Billie, those are evidence, ok?" Phoebe said. "And not to mention somebody probably died in them." Phoebe paused as her caller said something to her. "Hello. No. I said I'm dying to see you. It just must be a really bad connection."

Billie took out a girdle and looked at Buffy. "Now, this is the kind of bondage men want us in? I don't even know why you bother hooking up. After seeing this guy in my class this morning, I am so sure women should be on top."

"Do you mind?" Phoebe said.

"I'm sorry. I meant that metaphorically."

"Well, I'm speaking to a guy, and he means metaphysically."

Billie headed back to her box on the table. "Yeah, see, that's the thing. Men just keep using their little heads to do all the thinking for them." She reached in the box and took out a skull. "You know, this whole yin/yang thing, it's a complete hoax. Look at this lame gig. Once again, the male establishment is using women's awesome skills for their busywork."

"You know what? I got to go, ok? Yeah, I can't wait to see you, too. Sunday. All right. Thanks. Bye." Phoebe hung up, picked up a box, and headed over to the table to join Billie. "Hey, can we lay off the male bashing, please?"

Billie went back to the shelf to look at the other items on it. "Sorry. I've just had one too many lame dates lately. I don't understand. Everyone I go out with is so immature and childish. Does that ever change? Do they ever grow up?"

"Ha!" Buffy said. "Angel's 252 years old and he still acts immature sometimes."

"Hey. Check this thing out." Billie stepped out from the shelves with a golden belt around her waist.

Buffy and Phoebe glanced at her just as Billie was about to snap the belt closed. "No, no. No!" It was too late. She closed the belt around her waist. A gold-colored flash of light washed over Billie and changed her into a sleek, Amazon-looking warrior.

"Uh, what just happened?" Billie asked.

"We're screwed. That's what happened." Phoebe said.

Buffy, Billie, and Phoebe walked down the sidewalk. The men they passed by whistled at them. Billie desperately tried to get the belt off her. "This is unbelievable." Phoebe said. "Piper takes the car. Paige orbs. Does anyone stop and think that Phoebe can't orb? No, of course not. Why? Because it's all about them."

"Want me to call Angel?" Buffy asked.

"Ok, hi." Billie said. "Yeah. I can't get this thing off."

"Yeah. Don't even bother. It's gonna take a spell or a potion or some kind of emotional epiphany." Buffy said.

"That blows. Are you sure?"

"Hello!" Phoebe said. "Voice of experience. I've been turned into a mermaid, a mummy, a genie. Ok? Trust me. I know these things."

"I can't believe this. I feel so stupid. I had to put the belt on."

"It's ok." Buffy said. "Just think of it as initiation. It happens to the best of us."

"So it's not that bad?"

"Oh, no. It's bad. It's very, very bad."

"Hey! Superhero-Babe! Over here!" Someone called.

"Please, someone vanquish me now." Billie groaned.

"Ok, we got to get you out of here. Hey, taxi!" Phoebe hailed a taxi. The taxi stopped, Billie reached down to open the door, and it came off completely from its hinges. The driver started yelling.

"Put it back, put it back. Put it back. Let's go." Phoebe pulled Billie away and Buffy followed. "Call Angel." Phoebe said as they made it into an alley.

Angel orbed Buffy, Phoebe, Billie, and himself to the front porch of the Manor. He kissed Buffy goodbye and orbed back to P3. Billie walked into the Manor carrying the front door into the house. She put the door down against the wall when Piper spotted her. "Sorry." Billie said.

"Yeah, she's a superhero." Phoebe said. "But, no, you can't get mad at her because it's your fault."

"My fault?" Piper asked.

"Yes. She tried on a belt in one of the boxes that you were supposed to be going through."

"I couldn't help myself." Billie said.

"Oh, no. Really?" Piper asked.

"Enough with the chatter. We have to figure out how to get it off of her." Phoebe said.

"It's not gonna be easy." Leo said. "That looks like Hippolyta's belt."

"Hippo-who?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, wait." Billie said. "I know her from my mythology class. Greek queen. Super powerful. Wanted to create men and women equal. Wait a second. Didn't Hercules butcher her?"

"That's the one." Leo said.

"Oh, that's just great." Billie waved her arms and Leo vanished.

Piper turned and looked at the empty space where Leo used to be. "Oh, no. Why did you go and do that? Who's gonna pick up the kids?"

"What do you mean?" Leo asked. He was invisible.

"Leo, look at yourself." Phoebe said.

"Turn him back. Right now." Piper said.

"I don't know how." Billie said. "I didn't do it." She pointed at the belt. "This did it."

"Huh. All right. Fine." Piper waved her hands at the belt and tried to blast it off her. There was a mini-explosion, but the belt was still on Billie.

Billie gasped and glared at Piper. "Did you just try and kill me?"

"Easy."

"Billie, relax." Buffy said. "Of course not. What's the matter with you?"

"I don't know." Billie said. "That was really weird. Please get this off me."

"Let's get the Book." Phoebe said.

Piper followed them up, but Buffy stayed downstairs with the invisible Leo. "All right. What aren't you telling us? And don't think just because you're invisible that I won't…."

"Ok." Leo said. "I know the goddesses who made the belt came up with a way to take it off. But if we can't figure out what that was, Billie's going to die."

"Oh, like the woman who wore it before who ended up in Murphy's cold case."

"Probably. The belt holds enormous power, Buffy. It seduces the wearer before it drives her insane."

"We've got to fix this before it goes horribly wrong." Buffy took a step forward and bumped into invisible Leo.

"Like it's not already."

"All right, that's not funny. Move it. Should I call Angel?"

"Let him stay at work. There's not much he can do as a whitelighter."

Buffy sighed and walked upstairs to the attic. Phoebe was sitting at the potions table with Billie and Piper was leafing through the Book of Shadows. "Ok, you just sit down right here and relax until we can figure out a way to get that thing off you." Phoebe said.

"If we can." Piper said. "If we can, we should soon before she turns any more men invisible."

"Well, you and I both know something horrible is gonna have to happen before we can get her out of that get-up."

Billie suddenly got to her feet and grabbed a potions bottle off the table. She slammed it against the belt and it caused a mini-explosion, but the belt remained firmly around Billie's waist. "Ohhh! I scratched my pretty belt."

"Oh. Now it's her 'pretty belt.'" Buffy said.

"What does that mean?"

"It just means that maybe the belt is starting to affect you." Phoebe said.

"I don't think the belt is starting to affect me. Ok? I would know if…. Oh, hold on. I think I'm getting a call."

"A call?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. I'll be right back." Billie turned and, with super-speed, ran out of the attic.

Buffy looked at Phoebe and Piper. "Ok, I'm a super-chick. Why can't I run _that_ fast!"


	115. Chapter 115

Chapter 115

Buffy carried the door off of Leo and set it against the wall as Phoebe and Piper helped the invisible Leo up off the floor. Billie had sped out of the house while Leo had been putting the door back on its hinges and the wind had knocked Leo over and the door on top of him.

"Sweetie, honey, are you all right?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. Except for the fact that nobody can see me." Leo said.

"And the fact that the girl that did that it to you is out doing God knows what." Phoebe said. "We have to find her."

Just then, Billie sped back into the house, knocking the door off. "Whoa! Watch the door…." Leo cried as the door fell to the floor again.

"Um, sorry." Billie said. "I'm still getting used to this blurring thing, but, oh, is it fun."

"Fun? You're having fun?" Buffy asked. "We were worried about you. Where have you been?"

"Well, let's see. I rescued a woman in distress, I killed off a bunch of male demons, and I scratched my pretty belt again."

"Ok, Billie, I think you're getting a little too attached to that thing." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, until we get it off, maybe you should kind of stay put." Piper agreed.

"No, I don't wanna take it off." Billie said. "It makes me feel powerful."

"See, that's a problem." Leo said.

The belt glowed and casting a red array of light on the girls at the same moment Angel orbed in.

"Actually, here's a problem." Piper said. "Why are men so threatened by powerful women?"

Phoebe answered her phone. "Hey, look, I'm busy. I'll call you when I have time." She hung up. "There is nothing worse than a needy guy."

"Right." Buffy said.

"Uh, ladies, I think the belt's affecting you, too." Leo said.

"What belt?" Angel asked.

"Oh, shush it, will you?" Piper snapped.

"Is there any way you can make his voice disappear?" Phoebe asked.

"Hippolyta's belt." Leo said to Angel, ignoring the girls.

"That's not good." Angel said.

"The girls are being affected now, which means it's growing stronger."

"Oh, you are such a downer." Billie said. "No wonder I made you invisible. Oops. My midterm. I almost forgot."

"Hey, could you make Leo visible again before you go?" Piper asked.

"Really? Why?" Buffy asked.

"Well, he's got to play golf apparently to get me a band. So what can I tell you? It's a man's world."

"I guess I can try." Billie shot some electricity at Leo, making him visible again. "Oh, it worked. Right on." She sped off.

As soon as she was gone, Piper's brow furrowed. "What the hell just happened?"

"When did you get here?" Buffy asked Angel.

"I think her powers are getting stronger." Phoebe said.

"And taking her over." Leo said.

"Well, then we have to stop her." Piper said.

"Seriously, when did you get here?" Buffy asked Angel.

"Uh, just a minute ago." Angel said. "I came to check and see how things were going with you."  
"Oh." Buffy smiled brightly and kissed him. "Hi."

Angel smiled back. "Hi. How are you feeling?"

"I'm ok. Kinda hungry."

"Hey, hate to interrupt." Piper said. "But we've got to get Billie. Let's go. We'll scry on the way."

"See you later, sweetie." Buffy kissed Angel as Phoebe and Piper pulled her out the door.

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe walked in the house with Buffy finishing a strawberry milkshake. "I can't believe we missed her." Piper said.

"Someone just HAD to have a milkshake and a double cheeseburger." Phoebe said.

"I'm sorry." Buffy said. "I was going to be sick if I didn't get something to eat! And at least she left before the entire class killed each other."

"You mean before the girls killed the boys." Piper said.

"Sounds like history's repeating itself." Leo said. "Hippolyta tried to use the belt to create harmony between the sexes. It blew up in her face, too."

"Dare I ask what happened next?" Buffy asked.

"Well, she retreated to an island of women, killing any man who dare to enter."

"Well, one must have gotten through because Billie said Hercules killed her." Piper said.

"Which is why everyone who's worn the belt since has tried to rid the entire world of men."

"Oh, great. Just when I start dating again." Phoebe said.

"You know, that means Wyatt and Chris, too." Piper said.

"Oh, come on. What are the possibilities of this really happening? Other people have worn the belt before and men are still walking around."

"But Billie was a powerful witch before she put the belt on, which pretty much makes her invincible." Leo said. "She could do it or at least kill a lot of men trying."

"So, what, our only hope is that the belt drives her insane and kills her first?" Buffy asked.

"No, we have to figure out a way to get the belt off of her and contain her, obviously, so she doesn't do any more harm." Piper said.

"If we can find her." Phoebe said.

"I guess I won't be golfing after all." Leo said.

"No." Piper said. "Actually, I think you should. You're the target. I want you as far away as possible."

"Yes. But you're vulnerable to the belt's powers. I'm not."

"Yeah, I know. But now that we know what to expect, we'll keep our distance, I promise. Now, really, you should go, and if you find me a band in the process, that wouldn't be such a bad thing." Piper kissed him and turned to head upstairs with Buffy and Phoebe following her.

Phoebe sat at the scrying table as she waved the crystal over the map. Piper was setting down crystals in the center of the attic. Buffy was sitting on the couch going through the Book of Shadows.

"This isn't working." Phoebe said. "Either super Billie's completely taken over or she just doesn't wanna be found."

"We could try the 'to call a lost witch' spell." Buffy suggested, holding up the Book. "If there's any witch left in her, it should bring her back here whether she likes it or not."

"Well, what if that doesn't work?" Piper asked.

"Well, then mankind has got a serious problem."

"I should've stopped her." Phoebe said.

"Don't worry about it." Piper said. "It's a job hazard. It would've happened sooner or later."

"She's gonna be pretty upset when she comes back here. Do you think we should call for Paige?"

"No. She's got her own innocent to save. Besides, if Billie gets here and we can't handle it, we'll call for her."

"We could call Angel." Buffy said. "He can orb us out if anything happens."

Piper and Phoebe exchanged glances. "Good idea."

"Angel!" Buffy called. A minute later, he orbed in. "Hi!"

"What's up?" Angel asked.

"We're getting ready to call Billie and she's gonna be pretty pissed. We thought you'd be a good back up plan." Buffy smiled brightly.

"Ok. Call her."

"Power of the witches rise, course unseen across the skies. Come to us who call you near, come to us and settle here."

Billie appeared in the attic downright irritated. "What did you do that for?"

"We were just worried about you, that's all." Phoebe said.

"That's bull. You just don't want me to create my Utopia."

"Your what?" Piper asked.

"Are you kidding? We love Utopias." Buffy said. "We're witches and a Slayer, you know. We're into the girl power."

"Fine. What do you want?" Billie asked.

"We just wanna talk, see how you're doing." Phoebe said. "Now!" Piper dropped the last crystal to complete the crystal cage around Billie. She and Phoebe both ran back to the Book.

Billie tried to get out of the crystal cage, but was shocked backwards. "You lied to me! Zira was right."

"Zira?" Buffy asked.

Billie stretched out her arms and screamed. A blast of power burst from her and decimated the crystal cage. Just before the cage blew, Angel grabbed Piper, Buffy, and Phoebe and orbed them out. When they orbed back in, Billie was gone and the attic was a mess.

"Huh." Piper said. "We have got to find her and bring her back here 'cause I am not cleaning up this mess." She turned and left the attic.

"Maybe we could try the spell again and bring her back." Phoebe said, following her.

"And do what with her, watch her destroy the rest of the house? We can't contain her."

"There's got to be a way." Buffy said.

Leo walked back into the house with his golf clubs and spared the missing front door a glance. "Hey. I, uh, guess Billie's still wearing the belt, huh?"

"You think?" Piper said.

"Nice. You're out playing golf while we're trying to save your gender." Phoebe said.

"No. I told him to, and it's a good thing I did, because Billie might have killed you."

"She's getting worse, isn't she?" Leo asked.

"Yeah, and she teamed up with a demon." Buffy said. "If I were a guy, I'd definitely be a little nervous." She patted Angel's shoulder.

"Any chance they went back to Magic School?"

"Maybe. Why?"

"Well, because if they did, we might be able to get the belt off her there. The goddesses' spell's got to be in one of the history books."

"It's gonna be pretty tough to get by her unseen." Angel said.

"I think unseen is the answer." Leo smiled.

Zira shuffled books around on the table and told Billie to rest. "It'll be all over soon. I promise." She said.

"Sooner than you think." Phoebe said, walking in with Piper and Paige. Buffy and Angel were behind them and Leo, who was invisible, was somewhere in the room.

Billie got to her feet. "What are you doing here?"

"We've come to save you." Piper said.

"Again." Paige added.

"You can't save her. It's too late." Zira said.

Piper glanced off to the side. An open book was hovering in the air and it tilted downward to show her the spell. "Wanna bet?"

Paige held out her hands. "Book." The open book orbed to her arms.

"They're after your belt. Kill them." Zira said to Billie.

"No!" Leo cried as he rushed over and knocked Billie off her feet. "Say the damn spell!"

"For all the world to work as one in harmony it must be undone." Paige read.

Billie got to her feet just as she glowed gold. The belt unlocked and slipped off her waist. It fell to the floor and Billie changed back to her regular college-girl self. Buffy waved her hand and the belt flew off the floor and wrapped around Zira's waist. The power in the belt glowed and Zira exploded, belt and all.

Piper stepped forward, a potions bottle in her hand. "All right. Come out, come out, wherever you are." She tossed the potions bottle and hit Leo in the chest making him visible again. "Huh. It's nice to see you."

"It's good to be seen." Leo said.

"What happened?" Billie asked.

"Leo just saved your life." Buffy said.

"Yin/yang working together, just like it should be." Phoebe said.

"Good job, Yang." Piper said to Leo.

"Thanks, Yin." Leo said back to Piper.

"Any chance we can stop and get some food?" Buffy asked.

Phoebe and Piper carried their drinks over to the alcove where Angel, Buffy, and Billie sat with their own drinks. "That better be a virgin colada." Piper said to Billie. "I don't wanna lose my license the same night I land Liz Phair."

"Oh, don't worry. I think I've caused enough trouble for you guys for one day." Billie said.

"You were bound to turn into something eventually." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. But Wonder Witch? Not to mention I almost terminated an entire gender."

"Yeah, but the point is you didn't."

"Thankfully." Piper said.

"Yeah, I just wish I still wasn't so confused about men." Billie said.

"Don't worry. They're just as confused about us." Buffy said.

"I know, but I'm still a little gun-shy."

"It's ok. You have time."

"And that virgin thing goes for you, too, Miss Mommy." Piper said to Buffy.

"Virgin all the way." Buffy assured her. "Angel made it for me."

"Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together." The emcee called. "Welcome to P-3 Liz Phair!"

"I still can't believe Leo got her." Billie said.

"Yeah, you know. Guys. Golf. Go figure." Piper said.

"To the mystery of men." Phoebe toasted.

"We're not that mysterious." Angel said.

"Please, you're all like onions!" Buffy said. "Peel off one layer and there's another, stinkier one right below it."

Angel raised a brow at her. "Stinkier?"

"Metaphor."

"I'm not an onion."

"Head of lettuce?"

"Better than an onion."

Buffy looked at Piper. "You should think about opening a little kitchen here. Serve some appetizers or something."

"You're hungry again?" Phoebe asked.

"All the time! I think I'd prefer the morning sickness that can't tell time over wanting to eat 24/7."

Piper snorted. "Not if you had morning sickness 24/7."

Buffy thought about that for a moment. "Yeah, true. But seriously, you should consider the appetizers thing."

"It is a good idea." Paige said. "It's not like you don't have the tables for it."

"Where would I put a kitchen?" Piper asked.

"There're three store rooms back there." Angel said. "Leo and I can work on turning two of them into one big one and make the smallest one a small kitchen."

"And you could come up with your very own appetizers." Phoebe said.

"It's one step closer to your dream of having your own restaurant." Buffy added.

"That's gonna be an expensive hassle." Piper sighed. "But it might just be worth it if it brings more business in here."


	116. Chapter 116

Chapter 116

Buffy and Piper were sitting in Buffy's living room talking. Piper had just gotten back after spending the morning with Leo and had gone straight to Buffy to talk to her.

"You saw the Angel of Death, and you're only telling me this now? Why didn't you call?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I didn't wanna worry you." Piper said.

"Where did you see him?"

"This morning, downtown with Leo. But I don't think it means anything, really."

"Piper, the only person that sees him is the person he's coming after."

"No, that's not necessarily true. We all saw him last time, and nothing happened."

"Well, that's just because we were protecting the guy who was next on his list, who incidentally he got! And I ended up as Death, too!"

"You're right, but if he really wanted me, he could've taken me right then and there, right?"

"Ok, you have a point."

"So, maybe…. I just thought I saw him. Maybe I'm doing what I usually do around this point in my life."

"You lost me."

"We're demon-light, the boys are happy and healthy, Leo and I are doing fine so maybe I'm doing what I always do when everything is going well in my life. I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop."

"Yeah, that would be like the Manolo Blahnik of shoe drops, ok?" Buffy reached over and picked up the cordless phone from the side table. "I should reschedule my doctor's appointment."

"No no no, you're not!"

"Why not? If Death is hanging around, we need to find out why. And that usually leads to cancelled appointments. I'd rather go ahead and reschedule now than miss it later."

"Don't. Please don't. If anything else happens, I'll call you."

Buffy sighed. "Fine. I'm at least calling Phoebe and making sure she hasn't seen Death."

"She's with Billie."

"Where?"

"I don't know."

Buffy rolled her eyes and dialed Phoebe's number. She didn't even get to say anything. Phoebe picked up the phone and said, "Hey Buffy, can I call you back?"

"Yeah, sure, no problem. I was just calling to see if you're ok, that's all."

"Why wouldn't I be?"

"Hello? Demon!" Billie said in the background.

"Wait…. Demon? What demon?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, we're trying to lure out the demon that took Billie's sister and see if we can find out what happened to her." Phoebe said.

"No! You can't do that right now."

"Why? What's happening?"

"Phoebe!" Billie said.

"Will you please!"

"Well, see, the thing is, Piper may have seen the Angel of Death today." Buffy said.

"What? When? Oh my god, is she ok?"

"Yeah, she's fine. I'm just calling to see if you've you seen him, too."

"Who? Death? No."

"Well that's good, but still…. Maybe you shouldn't…."

"He's here!" Billie said.

"Gotta go! Gotta go!" Phoebe hung up.

Buffy looked at the phone. "She hung up on me."

"She's fighting a demon?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. She's with Billie. She'll be fine."

"Call Paige. Make sure she's ok."

Buffy dialed Paige's number. "Hello?" Paige said.

"Hey. Are you all right?" Buffy asked.

"No, I'm not."

"What do you mean? Did you see Death?"

"Nah. Just saw a cad. Nothing fatal, though."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Don't worry about it. What do you mean 'did I see Death'?"

"Piper saw Death this morning."

"Why didn't she tell me!"

"She told me."

Paige sighed. "Has Phoebe seen Death? Have you? Please tell me you haven't."

"No. I haven't seen Death. Phoebe hasn't either, but she might."

"Why?"

"Phoebe is out fighting demons."

"So, what's new?"

"What's new is she shouldn't be doing that with, you know, the Angel of Death lurking about."

"Fair enough. Ok. I'm on my way home."

"Ok, but are you driving? Be careful driving!"

"Yeah, ok. Bye." Paige hung up.

"Why do people keep hanging up on me?" Buffy set the phone down. "Come on."

"Where are we going?"

"I'm going to go give someone a call who won't hang up on me."

Buffy waited until Piper came back to the attic after checking on Leo in the garage. "Ok, make your call." Piper said.

"All right, mister. I know you're lurking somewhere, and if you want something, you need to get your grim reaping ass down here or stop bugging this family." Buffy called.

"There's no need to be rude." The Angel of Death said behind them. They turned around. "I was only trying to do you a favor."

"Favor? Well, I don't want any favors from you." Piper said.

"Oh, you'll want this one. You know, my job was so much easier before I met you and your sisters, it was so much less complicated."

"For what's it's worth, I don't think taking people's life should be all that easy to do."

"It never is. Still, it's inevitable."

"You're not taking me."

"You're right, I'm not. I'm taking Leo."

"What?" Piper and Buffy asked.

"It's curious, I actually feel bad about it. No doubt a reflection about my knowing you. I don't normally get to know people long in my line of work, obviously."

"You can't have him." Piper said.

"You don't have a choice. That's why I came earlier. I wanted to warn you, to give you time to prepare. To say goodbye."

"No!"

"I'm afraid you don't have much time."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"I'm not about why, or how, Buffy. I'm simply when. _You_ know that."

"It's not right, and it's not fair, not after everything Piper and Leo have gone through and everything they've been promised."

"There's a reason for everything, even this. You know that too, Buffy. I am sorry." The Angel of Death disappeared.

Piper picked up a notepad and started writing. After a minute, she picked the notepad up and read, "Hide him from sight so I might fight. Ignore which leaves bereft my husband from the Angel of Death." A loud crashing noise was heard from below and Buffy Piper rushed down the stairs and outside to the garage. "Leo? Leo!"

Leo appeared from behind the truck. "What? What's the matter?"

"Oh, thank God." Piper hugged Leo and Buffy joined in.

"What happened?" The phone rang and Leo picked it up. "Hello? Ok, ok…. Hold on a second. It's Paige." Leo passed the phone to Piper.

"What?" Piper said.

"What! What do you mean, what?" Buffy could hear Paige without the phone near her ear. "Do you have any idea what is going on down here, do you?"

"Wait, slow down. What's the matter?"

"You're never gonna believe it." Paige said.

Phoebe was sitting on the couch with Buffy, Angel stood behind the couch massaging Buffy's shoulders, Paige sat on a chair, and Piper walked relentlessly back and forth in front of the fireplace. The spell Piper had written caused every man in San Francisco to turn into a Leo lookalike.

"Piper, I know the spell didn't work out like you wanted it to, but at least it bought us some time, right?" Phoebe said.

"Yeah, but the Angel of Death is still after him. It's only a matter of time." Piper said.

"The time is on our side." Buffy said. "I mean, now that the whole town looks like Leo. Death has gotta be confused. And we can use the confusion to our advantage, until we can figure out how to really save Leo."

"And how exactly are we gonna do that? I mean, we can't watch him, we can't protect him twenty-four hours a day, he wouldn't let us, and besides, he could fall in the shower, or trip down the stairs, it could be anything."

"We'll find a way." Paige said. "Where's Billie?"

"She's upstairs, trying to find the demon who took her demon." Phoebe said.

"Why don't you go keep an eye on her, make sure she doesn't get herself killed." Piper said.

"Wait, are you sure?"

"Yeah. I mean, we don't need the Angel of Death looking for two people in this house."

"Ok. I'll be upstairs if you need me." Phoebe walked up to the attic.

"We're gonna figure out how to save him." Angel said to Piper.

"Save who?" Leo asked, walking into the room. They all turned to stare at him. "What?"

Buffy spotted Piper walking down the stairs. She got up to go meet her and ask how it had gone with Leo, but the Angel of Death appeared between them. "I trust you said your goodbyes." He said.

"I'm not gonna let you do this." Piper said.

"WE'RE not gonna let you do this." Buffy added, dodging around Death and standing at Piper's side.

"We've been through this already. Now, where's Leo?"

The doorbell rang. "Ooh, I'll get it." Paige called, heading for the door. Paige opened the Manor's door. It was Leo as a pizza delivery guy. "Oh, hi. Uh, do you mind just putting it on the table?" The pizza delivery guy leered at Paige with a lascivious smile as he slid past her.

The doorbell rang again and Paige opened it to Leo as the dry cleaner. "Here are the shirts. You're lucky we had 'em ready when you called."

Paige took the shirts with a thanks and shut the door. A moment later, the doorbell rang yet again. It was Leo as a repairman this time. "Hi. Ok. Let me show you to the grandfather clock." Paige said.

"Uh-huh. Thanks." Repairman Leo said.

"What's the meaning of this?" Death asked.

"What can I tell you? I run a very busy household."

The doorbell rang again and Paige opened the door. "And you are?"

"I thought we should talk, after what happened at lunch." Leo as Henry said.

"Henry?"

The real Leo walked down the stairs and observed the situation. Piper looked at Death and said, "I told you, I'm not going to let you take my husband."

"You've obviously no idea who you're dealing with." Death said.

"Uh, you seem to have a faulty receiver, ma'am." The real Leo said. "I'm gonna have to go get some tools."

"Ok, well, uh, please hurry back, I don't want it to get any worse." Piper said.

"I know what I'm doing."

"Magic won't protect him for long, you know. I'll find him." Death said. "I always do." He disappeared.


	117. Chapter 117

Chapter 117

Buffy, Angel, and Piper walked across the hospital's hallway looking for Leo. Piper had gotten a call telling her that Leo had been in a serious accident. "We should have hope that it's not all that bad, right, I mean…." Buffy motioned around the hospital. "Look around, these guys are back to normal, and the spell obviously wore off."

They reached the ER's waiting room. "Hi, I'm looking for my husband." Piper said.

"Ma'am, if you'll just wait…." The nurse started.

"No, his name is Leo Wyatt, they called and said he was in some kind of car crash, and I just need to know…."

"Just a moment, please."

Piper snatched the nurse's phone and hung it up. "No, actually, I need to know where my husband is right now!"

"Did you say his name was Leo?" A doctor asked, walking up to them.

"Have you seen him?"

"I'm one of the doctors on this case."

"Case? What do you mean, case?"

"Your husband was admitted about a half hour ago, but we've managed to stabilize him."

"Ok, so that's good, right?"

"Yes, that's good, but we really won't know the extent of his injuries until we operate. We're prepping him for surgery now."

"Surgery?"

"It's called an exploratory laparotomy. To find out whether or not his internal bleeding is from a splenic laceration or a tearing of one of his kidneys or aorta…."

"Ok, wait, slow down. In English. Is it life-threatening?"

"Yes, it is."

Buffy wrapped her arm around Piper's waist and gave her a hug. "I can't believe this is happening." Piper said.

"We're doing everything we can. I promise you."

"I can't do this, I can't handle this right now!"

"Please try to be positive…."

"Ugh!" Piper froze the whole room except Buffy and Angel.

"What are you doing?" Buffy asked.

"I can't do this, this can't be happening!"

"Yeah, but you can't freeze this problem forever, Piper. I'm sorry, but you can't."

"Angel, can't you just go back there and heal him?"

"You know I can't, Piper." Angel said.

"Why not!"

"How would he explain away an instant recovery from a life threatening injury? He can't. And we can't expose ourselves. Not after the Homeland Security incident."

Piper sighed and took a moment to collect herself. She finally unfroze the room and looked at the doctor. "Uh…. can I see my husband, please?"

"Come on." Piper followed the doctor out.

Buffy looked at Angel. "Something's not right."

"What?" Angel asked.

"Something feels…. Off about this whole thing. It's too…. Normal."

"Normal? Sweetie, Leo's human."

"But normal things don't happen to this family, Angel. They don't! There's no way that this can be normal. There's something else going on."

"What if…."

"Angel, I'm hormonal right now. If I were you, I wouldn't argue." Angel shut his mouth. "Thank you." Buffy turned to the nurse. "Where's the officer who was at the crash?"

"Oh, uh…." The nurse pointed to an officer standing by the entrance.

Piper walked down the hall towards Buffy and Angel. "How's he doing?" Angel asked. Piper gave him a hollow look.

"Look, I've been thinking…. Something is not right about this." Buffy said.

"Buffy…." Piper started.

"No, I'm serious. Look, Piper, things like this don't happen to us. I mean, what if this isn't just an accident, what if there's something demonic behind it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"The Angel of Death told you Leo was supposed to die, which means we're already way past random chance when the truck hit him."

"You're grasping at straws."

"Maybe, but according to that cop over there, they have the driver in custody, which means this could very well not be an accident after all."

"How does that help Leo?"

"If there's something magical going on here, maybe something magical can fix it. I'm gonna call Paige and get her to see what she can do with it. We're going home and we're going to find a way to cheat Death." Buffy nodded, her resolve face leaving no room for argument.

"What do you want from me? I've already told you, there's nothing I can do. It's Leo's time." The Angel of Death was standing in the attic with Buffy, Angel, and Piper.

"I'll heal him somehow." Angel said. "He's not dead yet."

"No, but he soon will be."

"You said there was a reason behind this." Piper said.

"There's a reason behind everything. That's why it's called the grand design."

"But specifically this."

"She's right." Buffy said. "You made a point of telling us that there was a reason, just like you made a point of warning us it was going to happen in the first place."

"Right." Death said.

"I'm not asking you to save Leo, because I know you can't." Piper said. "I'm just asking you to tell me who can. I need to know why this is happening, especially if it was not an accident. I'll pull every connection I have, if you just point me in the right direction."

"You know, I could get in a great deal of trouble for this. I don't know what the greater reason is, but I do know there is one. Perhaps you should speak to those who know more about the grand design than I do." The Angel of Death disappeared.

"We need an Elder." Piper said.  
"And an Avatar." Buffy added. "They're both part of Leo's life and one or both of them will know what's happening."

"Good thinking." Piper led the way out of the attic. "But I don't want an Avatar anywhere near the Book." They headed down to the Conservatory where Angel called down an Elder and Piper called an Avatar.

"An Avatar? What are you trying to do?" The Elder snapped at Angel.

"I'm trying to save my husband's life." Piper said. "Any way I can."

"The very fact that you dare put me in a room with an Avatar…."

"Shows the open-minded view they are capable of having." The Avatar interrupted.

"Says the one whose single-minded beliefs nearly destroyed us all!"

Piper whistled hard and caught their attention. "Listen. I'm only interested in talking about Leo right now, and I have it on very good authority that one or both of you can tell me why this is happening. So…. I'm listening."

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Oh, please!" Buffy said. "You know exactly what we're talking about. I don't care how it happens, I don't care who does it, but one of you is going to save Leo because both of you owe him."

The Elder and the Avatar were both silent. "Are you telling me that you won't heal Leo?" Piper asked the Elder. She turned to the Avatar. "Or you, that you don't have the power to fix this?" The Elder and the Avatar remained silent. "Well, somebody say something!"

"It's not that we won't, Piper. We can't." The Elder said.

"Using our powers to save Leo…. It's a path that neither Elder nor Avatar can travel." The Avatar said.

"Hang on a second." Buffy held up her hands and laughed slightly. "Are you telling me that the first time you two agree on anything is when you decide to let Leo die?" The Elder and the Avatar remained silent again. "No, this is stupid! Leo at one point in his life believed in both of your causes. He devoted his life at the expense of family to those beliefs, and you're telling us that you won't save that life? Why the hell can't you tell us what's going on? What is your big secret?"

"We don't have the…. authority to share that information." The Elder said.

"Fine, well if you don't, then who does?" Piper asked.

"You might want to think twice before going there." The Avatar said.

"Going where?" Piper and Buffy asked.

"You're going to need your sisters." The Elder said.

Piper walked into the attic with Buffy and Angel to find Paige talking to some strange man with a high pitched voice. "Paige, what are you doing?" Piper asked.

"This is the guy who crashed into Leo." Paige said. "Although I'm beginning to think it really was an accident."

"I told you!" The man said.

"It wasn't. Get rid of him." Piper said. "Buffy, get Phoebe here now."

Buffy went to the Book and opened up the 'to call a lost witch' spell as Piper explained to Paige what the Elder and the Avatar had said. Phoebe appeared in a swirl of glowing twinkles after Buffy said the spell. "You know, a phone call would've done the trick." She said.

"We're running out of time." Buffy said.

"And so is Leo." Piper added.

"What's going on?"

"We're summoning the Angel of Destiny." Paige said.

"What! Wait a minute. Are we sure we know what we're doing here?"

"Phoebe." Piper said.

"Piper, I would do anything to save Leo, you know that, but this is just freaking me out a little bit. I mean, has anyone ever done this before?"

"Well, we met the Angel of Destiny before." Paige said.

"I know, but we've never summoned him. He came to us, ok? I'm just saying."

"Phoebe, I can't lose Leo. I won't." Piper said.

Phoebe nodded and the three sisters linked hands. "Power of three, we summon thee, and call to us the Angel of Destiny." A glowing golden ball spun around Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. The ball exploded in shards, revealing a grey-robed Angel of Destiny.

"Who are you to summon me?" She asked.

"You don't look like the one we've met before." Paige said.

"There are many destinies. And many angels."

"Do you know why we called you?" Piper asked.

"Yes, though there's nothing I can do for you. This is Leo's destiny."

"Why? Who says?"

"Who do you think?"

"Don't go there." Buffy said.

"Listen, lady." Piper snapped. "I've jumped through a lot of hoops to get you here, and I want some answers, and I mean fast."

"Easy, Piper." Paige said.

"This was not any random accident. There's more to it than that, and I want to know what."

"Who says there's more?" The Angel of Destiny asked.

"The Angel of Death."

"And an Elder." Angel said.

"And an Avatar." Buffy said.

"Looks like I'm going to have to have a little chat with them." The Angel of Destiny said.

"First, you're going to have to have a little chat with me." Piper said. "Now, I don't understand this whole grand design thing, nor do I want to. But if your only concern is where we end up, isn't it up to us with free will and all how we get there?"

"Go on."

"Just explain to me why Leo is destined to die right now. What does it mean for the whole big picture? Because maybe there is a way for us to get there…. that he doesn't have to die. You have to give us a chance, you at least owe us that."

The Angel of Destiny's eyes glowed for a moment. "There's one more battle on the horizon for you four. One unlike you've ever faced before, one you won't see coming, and one you may not survive."

"What does that have to do with Leo?" Buffy asked.

"The loss, the pain will motivate you, all of you to fight, without which you will have no chance to prevail."

"Won't you please try to let us find a way to do this without Leo dying?" Phoebe asked.

"What exactly do you have in mind?"

The Angel of Destiny, Piper, Paige, Phoebe, Buffy, and Angel appeared in a cave where demons were frozen and Billie was torturing a demon who wasn't frozen. "Billie, wait." Phoebe said.

Billie turned around. "What are you guys doing here? Who's that?"

"Someone that can save Leo."

"But we're gonna need his help." Paige said, pointing to the demon Billie was torturing.

"We don't have a lot of time." Piper said. "Leo's about to die any second, and this was the only way we could think of to save him."

"How?" Billie asked.

"By doing to Leo what he does to his trophies." Phoebe said. "Freezing him."

"But that's only if I agree to help, right?" The demon said. "I mean, Blondie here knows how to torture all right, but she can't freeze anyone."

"What's your point, what do you want?" Buffy asked.

"It's a little thing called amnesty. You don't come after me, you don't touch me, I'm completely free, and I don't have to talk to you or anyone else about her sister."

"No no no, you can't do this!" Billie said. "He knows something!"

"I know, sweetie, I know, and I swear we'll find your sister, I promise." Piper said. "But this is Leo's only hope."

Billie took a long moment to decide, but finally said, "Ok."

"Deal?" Piper asked the demon. He nodded. "Go ahead." She said to the Angel of Destiny.

The Angel of Destiny closed her eyes and Leo appeared as he was before the accident. The demon was teleported near the magical crystals. Leo looked around, very confused. "What's going on? Where am I?"

Piper walked up to Leo. "It doesn't matter. All that matters is you're gonna be safe."

"What do you mean? What's going on?"

"Remember when I told you you just had to trust me? This is the only way."

"The only way? Piper…."

"I have to lose you to save you. It's just…. how screwed up destiny is. You kind of got caught in the middle. I'm so sorry."

"It's all right. We have…. been through worse…."

"No. We haven't."

"We're gonna get through this."

"Of course we will."

"It's time." The Angel of Destiny said.

"I love you." Piper said to Leo.

"I love you too." Leo said back. Piper kissed him tenderly as she cried.

When she stepped back, Buffy ran forward and hugged Leo tightly. He hugged her back just as tightly and told her everything was going to be ok. When he released her, Buffy stood back with Piper. Phoebe sent Leo a kiss, Paige had tears running down her face as she waved goodbye, and Angel stood just behind Buffy and Piper as he nodded his goodbye. The demon placed a second magical crystal in its slot. The Angel of Destiny nodded the demon rotated the crystal. A cryogenic container appeared and Leo instantly froze.

The Angel of Destiny looked at Billie. "You will find your sister, Billie. It's your destiny." She looked at Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. "If you prevail, he will be returned. If not…." The Angel of Destiny transformed into a golden swarm of light particles. The golden particles of light swirled around Leo and he vanished with them.

Piper joined her sisters, Angel, and Billie. "Let's go home."

Angel orbed Buffy to their house while Paige orbed Piper and Phoebe to the Manor. Buffy turned to Angel and he wrapped her in his arms as she cried. They just stood in the living room holding each other for a small eternity.


	118. Chapter 118

Chapter 118

Piper walked out of the kitchen carrying a vase of flowers into the dining room in one hand and a digital video camera in the other. She was also on the phone with Angel. "Angel, everything is going to be fine." She put the flowers near the window. "Just make sure you have enough beer, turn the music up, turn the lights down low, and you'll be fine. All right? All right. I'll talk to you later. Bye." She looked at Buffy sitting with Phoebe at the dining room table. "Your husband can be such a drama queen sometimes."

"He gets flustered." Buffy said.

Phoebe noticed the digital video camera as she looked up from her laptop. "Uh, what's that for?"

"This is for Leo." Piper set up the camera and put it down on the counter. It was recording Phoebe.

"You're videotaping yourself setting the table for Leo?"

Piper grabbed some silverware. "Well, when you go away on a long trip, it's the little things you miss."

"Yeah, but, sweetie, he's not on a long trip. He's frozen."

Piper turned around with the table placemats as well. "Not for long."

"Unfortunately we don't know how long it's going to take."

"Precisely my point, ok? So just, you know, act natural."

"Ok, you know what? I'm just going to go work upstairs."

"Wait, wait, wait. Is it going to bother you that much?"

"Well, yeah. Ok, no, it's not just that. I'm just…. I'm having a little trouble with my column."

"Really? Could you turn to the camera and tell me a little bit more about that problem?"

"Well, uh, it's really quite simple. I don't know what my problem is. I mean, there's these twins, and they live together, right? And the girl doesn't know if she's going to be able to open up to her boyfriend because she's so close to her brother."

"All right, so what do you think?"

"I have no idea what I think, and that's the problem. But I have to come up with something fast because, uh, my deadline is tomorrow."

"Well, I'm sure you'll think of something. You always do. Besides maybe it'll make for great dinner conversation." Piper walked out to the conservatory.

Buffy shook her head and looked at Phoebe. "Did Billie go to get her parents?"

"God, I hope so." Phoebe said.

"Do you want to go to my house? Angel's at work, Alex is upstairs with Wyatt, the place is utterly silent."

"That's why you're over here, huh?"

Buffy shrugged. "I've got some cleaning and organizing to do, but when I brought Alex over, you just looked so lost. I thought I could help you."

Phoebe smiled. "Sure. Let's go to your house."

After two hours of working on the column at Buffy and Angel's house, Phoebe had returned to the Manor to pick some stuff up and had gotten caught on the phone while Piper was vacuuming the sitting room. Chris sat in his baby seat with Buffy playing with him and a stuffed animal.

"'Am I too close to my twin?'" Phoebe said into her phone. Dorrie obviously couldn't hear her, so Phoebe said louder, "'Am I too close to my twin?' You know, my column. No, see, that's the problem. I'm having a hard time coming up with an answer, which is weird considering how close I am to my sisters, you know." Wyatt played cowboy and rode his stick horse into the conservatory with Alex laughing and running after him. "Maybe a little too close." Piper didn't turn the vacuum cleaner off as she picked up the video camera. "Yeah, go figure. All right, tell Elise I'm on top of it, and I'll have the column in by ten. Ok, bye."

Piper followed Wyatt and Alex through the rooms as they ran off. "Where are you going?" She laughed.

"Hey, Piper, is there any way that we could keep it down just a little bit?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, you know, it's for Leo."

"Ok, you're right. I'll just go back to Buffy's house and do this."

"Or you could help me get the house ready for our dinner guests."

Phoebe checked her watch. "Piper, dinner is, like, four hours from now. Are you sure you're doing ok?"

"Yeah, I'm fine. Why?"

The doorbell rang and Buffy set down the stuffed animal and went to answer it as Phoebe said, "Why? Because you didn't clean and prep this much for your own wedding, that's why. Piper, you're not dealing."

"You're not helping." Piper said.

Buffy opened the front door and found Billie with her parents on the front porch. "Billie! You're really early."

"Yeah, we decided to drive by the campus instead." Billie said. "Can we come in? Please?"

Dinner that night was awkward and silent as food was pushed around plates. Angel had come home early from the club, leaving Dominic in charge, to help Piper cook. Buffy glanced at him and he took her hand, squeezing it.

"You know," Billie said loudly. "Phoebe over here is actually 'Ask Phoebe,' the advice columnist from The Bay Mirror."

"Really? Wow." Helen, Billie's mother, said.

"Yeah, that's me." Phoebe glanced at Piper who motioned for her to continue. "Um, actually, I'm working on a very interesting question from one of my readers right now."

"We don't read the advice columns." Carl, Billie's father, said.

"Oh."

There was another long silence and Billie tried again. "Buffy is going to be a mom for the second time in May."

"May 24th." Buffy said.

"Oh, that's lovely." Helen said.

"She's got a little girl named Alex." Billie said.

"It's short for Alexis." Angel said.

There was another silence that was finally broken by Piper asked, "Would anyone like more wine?"

"Ooh, well, that reminds me…." Paige stood up. "I have to go meet Henry. You know, for drinks. Getting kind of late. And you know, if there's anyone you don't want to be late for, that would be a parole officer. Ok, honey, good luck. Goodbye." Paige left quickly.

"Did she say parole officer?" Helen asked.

"It's not what you think." Billie said.

"Interesting friends." Carl said.

"Excuse me?"

Carl stood up. "Well, I think we should be going, too. It was kind of you to invite us. Thank you for dinner."

"Wait, wait, no." Phoebe said. "We don't…."

Piper batted the annoying fly with her napkin as she said, "You know, you haven't even had dessert yet."

"It's been a long trip." Carl said.

Helen got to her feet and Billie also surged to her feet. "I need to ask you guys about Christy right now."

"That's not something we talk about in front of strangers, Billie." Carl said.

"Uh, we're not really strangers." Buffy said.

"No. Actually, dad, they're friends." Billie said. "Really good friends. And for the record, you never want to talk about her. In fact, I remember a month after she was taken, you guys went back to your pretty little lives like nothing ever happened, but something did happen."

"You were five. What do you know?" Carl snapped.

"I know you didn't do a damn thing to try and find her."

"That's not true." Helen said, brushing the fly away with her hand.

Piper stood up. "Ok, maybe we should all just sit down and…."

"I told you coming here was a mistake." Carl said to Helen.

"No, the mistake was me thinking you guys could know that this hurts me, too." Billie said.

"Why do you always do this to us?" Helen asked.

"Because she doesn't care about us, that's why." Carl said.  
"I don't care about you?" Billie scoffed. "You guys are cold-hearted assassins." And with that, Carl and Helen were transformed into sleak, tuxedo- and tiny black dress-wearing, svelt parents. Helen and Carl looked at each other for a moment. Helen focused her attention to the annoying fly, reached for her knife hidden in her thigh-band, and threw it. The knife hit the fly, embedding it in the wall across the room.

"Nice shot, babe." Carl said.

"Thanks, hon." Helen said.

Piper rolled her eyes. "Oh, boy."

Helen walked over and pulled the knife out of the wall. She walked back over to Carl. "Hmm, titanium. The best." Carl was busy checking his gun. "Nice gun. When did you get that?"

"I don't know, but I like it." Carl said.

"Ha! Me, too."

Billie sat down and looked over at Buffy and Phoebe. "What is going on?"

"Piper, what did you put in their food?" Buffy asked.

"Food was in the food, thank you." Piper said.

"Ok, but how do you explain this?" Phoebe asked.

"Wha….? Don't look at me. She's the one that said 'assassins.'" Piper pointed at Billie.

"It's a figure of speech." Billie said.

"Well, apparently not." Angel said.

Billie stood back up. "Mom, dad?"

With her arms around Carl, Helen turned and looked at Billie. "Excuse me? Who are you?"

"I'm your daughter. Billie."

She ignored Billie and turned her attention back on Carl. "Come here. Come here."

Phoebe stood up, pulling Buffy up. "Ok, you know, let's talk over here. You guys, just don't mind us. Just keep grossing me out over there."

Phoebe, Angel, Buffy, Piper, and Billie moved to the side to talk. "How did this happen?" Billie asked.

"I have no idea, but we have to figure it out fast." Phoebe said.

"Ok, why don't you guys go upstairs and check the Book, see if you can find anything that will help them, Angel and I will stay here and keep an eye on Mr. and Mrs. there."

Buffy, Phoebe, and Billie hurried upstairs to the attic. They headed straight for the Book of Shadows, walking past a vase of dead flowers.

"Well, I don't think it was a spell because the words didn't rhyme, but obviously it had something to do with the words, right?" Buffy asked. "You know, or maybe it was just…."

"Me." Billie's eyes were glued to the dead flowers. She headed over to it.

"Well, no, it couldn't have just been you." Phoebe said. "I mean, that was a pretty powerful transformation down there."

"Well, tell that to these flowers. This morning they were alive until I said something like 'suck the life out of this place,' and then they just…."

"Got the life sucked out of them?" Buffy asked.

"What's happening to me?"

"Oh, sweetie, I don't know." Phoebe said. "Although I do know of a power called projection, and I've never actually seen it, but I know it exists."

"Projection?"

"It lets the witch turn people and things into whatever comes to mind without a spell or a potion. It's pretty powerful stuff."

"Wait, so you're saying I just all of a sudden have this new power?"

"Well, it kind of makes sense if you think about it." Buffy said. "Right? I mean, you're growing as a witch, and our powers are tied to our emotions, and you've been suppressing those lately."

"Well, if I can turn my parents into something, I can turn them back, right?" Billie turned and walked over to the vase. "Dead flowers, be alive again!" Nothing happened.

"Yeah, it takes a while to get the hang of new powers." Phoebe said. "Plus you're not in the same emotional state you were downstairs."

"Well, how do I get back to that same emotional state?"

"I don't know. But when you figure it out, just be careful what you say."

There was a thump and muffled cries coming from downstairs. "Piper?" Buffy asked, rushing downstairs. Piper was tied to a chair and gagged with a cloth and Angel was nowhere in sight.

"Oh, my gosh!" Billie said.

"Piper, what happened?" Phoebe asked.

"And where's Angel?" Buffy added as she ungagged Piper. Phoebe and Billie worked on the ropes around her.

"Your parents jumped me." Piper said. "It's the last time I invite them to dinner."

"Easy, easy." Phoebe said.

"They beat your freeze?" Buffy asked.

"I didn't even have a chance. They're fast, and they're dangerous."

"Where's Angel?"

"Eric called him." Eric the witch that had helped Buffy stop her and Phoebe's past selves had become a charge of Angel's. Apparently the Elders hadn't known he'd gotten his powers as a witch and they really hadn't known how powerful he'd become. Since Buffy had discovered and befriended him, the Elders thought it would be fitting if Angel was his whitelighter. It had taken Buffy a couple of weeks to agree to the decision, though.

"What do you mean dangerous?" Billie asked.

"They said they were going to find some real action." Piper said.

"What does that mean?" Phoebe asked.

"The only action I remember them looking for growing up was bowling night." Billie said.

"Well, now apparently they're looking for an arsenal." Piper said.

Buffy sighed. "I'll call Paige. Piper get Angel back here and blow him up for me." She headed for the kitchen and picked up the phone.

"You're late." Paige said when she picked up.

"Paige? Where are you?"

"Oh, well, apparently I'm being stood up. Why?"

"Because we need you at home. Apparently we have some assassins to save."

"What?"

"Billie accidentally turned her parents in assassins. She's got a new power now."

"I'm on my way."


	119. Chapter 119

Chapter 119

Paige walked into the attic. "All right, ladies, so what is it? What's the plan?"

"Well, hello to you, too." Piper said.

"Sorry. Just got stood up. Not really so much in the mood for chit-chat."

"Well, I'm sure Henry has a perfectly good explanation for that." Phoebe said.  
"Doesn't he always? Ok, what's going on?"

"Find my parents before they kill someone." Billie said.

Phoebe held up a potions vial. "We're going to stun 'em with this, bring them back here, and then change them back."

"Except we haven't figured out that last part yet." Buffy said.

"Yeah, and this isn't working." Billie said. "You know, maybe I should just use my new power, turn myself into a target, so they can come after me."

"You know, Billie, this isn't your fault." Phoebe said.

"Yes, it is."

"No, you got emotional and hurt. It's completely understandable."

"Hey, can we make some of that stun potion for me to use on Mr. Henry?" Paige asked.

"People, focus." Piper said. "The longer they're out there, the more damage they do."

"Well, you know, scrying's not going to work for them anyway because they're not magical."

"No, but they are enchanted." Buffy said.

"Hey, I think I found them." Billie said.

"Ok, great." Phoebe said. "Piper, take these."

"Oh, no, I can't go."

"Why not?" Buffy asked.

"Well, the boys…. And Alex"

"The boys and Alex will be ok. Buffy and I'll stay here. Don't worry about them."

"No, I know. I'm just, you know, with Leo gone, I kinda want to stay close to them."

Phoebe nodded slowly. "Ok. I'll go." Buffy started to follow, but Phoebe stopped her. "You're staying."

"Why?" Buffy asked.

"Because you're pregnant and not invincible."

"So?"

"So, if anything happens, I…. we want you out of the line of fire. We'll be back." Phoebe went over to Paige and they orbed out.

The next day, Billie was scrying on the computer while Phoebe and Paige worked at the potions table and Buffy sat on the couch flipping through the Book. Angel was at P3 working since he was in trouble with Buffy. He'd skipped out to go _hang out_ with Eric instead of _helping_ Eric like a good whitelighter. He said that in his defense, his closest friends weren't exactly available to hang out with and he and Eric had "some stuff in common".

"They still moving?" Phoebe asked.

"Yep." Billie said.

"Hey, you ok?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, yeah, sure, considering my parents tried to shoot me."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, you know, they weren't really your parents when they did that." Paige said. "I mean, they didn't know they were your parents. But they are your parents is what I'm saying."

"Just keep mixing." Phoebe and Buffy said to Paige.

"I just still can't believe this is all happening." Billie said.

"Well, it's not your fault. You didn't do anything wrong." Phoebe said.

"I know, but still. You know, it's so weird, but I can remember them being like this all the time."

"What, like assassins?" Paige asked.

"No, happy. Together…. working together, laughing. When Christy got kidnapped, it all just…."

"Well, it's the hardest thing in the world to lose a child." Buffy said.

"I know. I know that. Even though I may have just been five, I miss the way it used to be. I guess it's good to know they have it in them still."

"Who knows? Maybe they'll be like that again soon." Phoebe said.

"After you find Christy." Buffy added.

The doorbell rang and Phoebe looked at Paige. "Piper?" She asked.

"Uh, no, she's with the babies, putting them down for a nap." Buffy said. "I'll get it." She headed downstairs to answer the door, waving Piper away. When she opened the door, Henry was standing there. "Henry, hi."

"Hey Buffy." Henry said. "Is Paige home?"

"Yeah. She's upstairs. Come on in and I'll go up and get her." Buffy shut the door behind Henry. "And just to be the meddling younger sister…. And really to warn you, too…. She's mad at you."

"Yeah. I figured she would be. One of my parolees skipped out on me."

Buffy smiled. "I knew you'd have a good and legit reason to ditch the people you care about." Henry raised an eyebrow. "Sorry. Mad at my husband at the moment. I don't mean to take it out on you. Can I blame the hormones?"

"Yeah. Paige said you were pregnant."

"Yup. 15 weeks now."

"You can't tell at all."

Buffy smiled brightly. "Good answer. I'll get Paige."

Phoebe, Buffy, and Billie came down the stairs. "Paige! We gotta move. Uh, so we could get the thing from the thing for the thing."

"Yeah. Um, ok." Paige looked at Henry. "Well, I have to go. I'll call you."

"You promise?" Henry asked.

"Promise." Henry turned and left the house.

"Sorry, it's just her parents stopped moving." Phoebe said.

"Right where I was trying to prove my conspiracy theory, too." Billie said.

Piper came down the stairs and said, "What conspiracy theory?"

"The one about my sister being one of many powerful kids that was kidnapped by demons."

"Think Manchurian Candidate." Phoebe said.

"Which version?" Paige asked.

"Does it matter?"

"I don't even understand what my parents are doing there anyway. I mean it's too big of a coincidence to be a coincidence, right?"

"Well, maybe there really are demons at the company, and they know you're onto them." Buffy said. "Maybe they're using your parents as leverage."

Phoebe turned to Piper. "This time, you're going, I'm staying."

"Wait, but…." Piper started.

"No buts. We don't know what we're up against, and you have more firepower than I do."

"Yeah, but you've got the potions."

"They're only stun potions." Paige said.  
"So, we can make vanquishing wishing potions."

"We don't have time. My parents don't have time." Billie said.

"You can't hole up here anymore." Buffy said. "And you can't busy yourself with endless tasks, ok? You have to get back out there and fight. For Leo."

Phoebe was working at her laptop in the conservatory while Buffy was playing with Alex on the floor. Phoebe was on speakerphone with Dorrie. "I don't know." Phoebe said. "It just came to me. Actually, I don't know why I had such a hard time with the question in the first place."

"But it's brilliant, Phoebe, really." Dorrie said.

"Oh, well, I don't know about brilliant."

"Are you kidding? 'Sometimes people can rely a little too much on a sibling for their emotional needs, not being open to finding love outside of the home. Sometimes you have to move out to move on.' How'd you come up with that?"

"Well, let's just say I can relate." Phoebe glanced at Buffy. "And it took me a little while to figure it out. You know? And, uh, some peace and quiet."

Paige, Billie, and Piper orbed in just then. "We got big problems." Piper said.

"So much for peace and quiet. Ok, get that to copy right away cause I don't want to miss the deadline. All right, thanks." Phoebe hung up.

"Where are the boys?" Piper asked.

"They're still napping." Buffy said.

"Ok, I'm going to go take them and Alex to dad's. I don't want them to be around here. And just so we're clear, I'm not ducking a fight. I'm just protecting my kids."

Buffy stopped Piper at the stairs. "Hey, why don't I just call Angel and we can take them to the club?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah. There's plenty of room for them to play and not destroy anything and Angel can finish work at the same time."

"Ok, I'll get the boys ready." Piper headed upstairs.

"So, what's going on?" Buffy asked, walking back into the conservatory. "What happened?"

"What's going on is my parents just tried to kill someone." Billie said.

"But they didn't." Paige added.

"Oh, well, thank God for that." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, except that they're wanted for murder. See, they were set up by this demon who was…."

"A human demon." Billie corrected.

"Yeah, who wants to take over a company."

"Back up, a human demon?" Buffy asked.

"Yeah, Dalvos, the guy I met, he hired my parents to kill his boss." Billie said.

"Well, he, actually hired the nanny." Paige said.

Buffy laughed slightly. "Wait, the demon has a nanny?"

"Well, she's really the one who's pulling the strings."

"Yeah, and she's trying to frame my parents, so we have to get to them before she does." Billie said.

"Or the police do." Paige added.

Buffy was sitting on a stool at the bar watching the kids play in front of the stage. Angel was working behind the bar, taking stock of all the liquor. He kept getting distracted by Buffy's face. She looked like she was thinking hard about something. Finally, he couldn't take it anymore.

"All right, what is it?" He asked.

"What?" Buffy turned to look at him.

"You're thinking so hard about something, I can almost hear your thoughts out loud. Are you still mad at me?"

"No. Yes. Kind of. But that's not what I was thinking about."

"Ok. What are you thinking about?"

"If Christy and Billie both have powers, doesn't that mean that their parents have to be the carriers?"

"Yes, if it's in the blood."

"So instead of spending hours scrying for them while they move about, wouldn't the 'call for a lost witch' spell might work?"

Angel had to think about it for a minute. "Yeah, it should."

"Orb me back to the Manor."

"Can't you just call?"

"No, I'm going to do. Orb me back, please."

Angel sighed and orbed Buffy back to the Manor before orbing back to P3. Buffy rushed up the stairs, hoping everyone was still in the attic. Unfortunately, they were gone. Buffy went back downstairs, searching all the rooms. Finally she stopped in the conservatory and called for Paige.

After a minute, Paige orbed in. "What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you guys. Where're Phoebe, Piper, and Billie?"

"Out searching for Billie's parents. They keep moving. Every time we scry for them and orb to get them, they're gone again. And they're separated."

"Bring them back here. Phoebe, Piper, and Billie I mean."

"You have a plan?"

"I have a plan. Can you orb the Book down here before you get the others?"

"Sure."

When Paige orbed Phoebe, Piper, and Billie to the conservatory, but not herself, Buffy had the Book open to the 'to call a lost witch' spell.

"Where's Paige?" Buffy asked.

"She had an idea herself." Piper said. "So what've you got?"

"Use this spell." She showed them the Book.

"How's that going to help?" Billie asked. "They're not witches."

"No, but you and your sister are. I figured if it's in the blood, this spell should work on them.

"Can't hurt to try." Phoebe said. "Good thinking, Buffy."

"Thanks." Buffy held the Book out for Billie to read from. "They're your parents. Go ahead."

Billie read the spell and Helen and Carl both appeared in the conservatory, their guns on each other. "Freeze them." Phoebe said.

Helen turned and pointed her gun at them. "One move, and you die." Piper put her hands down when Carl turned his gun on the girls. "Who are you? Who hired you?"

"Who hired us?" Piper asked.

"To take us out." Carl said. "We want names. Now!"

"Billie, I don't really want to blow up your parents, but…."

"All right, stop it!" Billie said. "This is crazy. You want to shoot me? Is that what you want to do?"

"Easy, Billie." Buffy said.

Billie didn't listen and took a step forward. "You already lost one daughter. You want to lose another one, too? Do you want to pull that trigger, mom? It's not going to bring Christy back, and I know that's the one thing you want more than anything in this world. Why didn't you tell me you kept searching for her? Don't you think I needed to know, that I wanted to know? I was just a kid." Helen put her gun down. "I was scared and young, and I didn't know any better, and I thought you didn't care about me or her." Carl lowered his gun. "And now, you're all I have left." Magic happened again and transformed Helen and Carl back into Billie's parents.

Helen stepped forward. "Oh, Billie." She brought her daughter into a tight hug. "I'm so sorry, baby." Carl held them both.

"Hey, guess what, guys. I think I figured out how to clear their names." Paige said. She stopped and saw the family group hug. "Did I miss something?"

Phoebe tossed the Bay Mirror on the table in Buffy's kitchen. The head line read: PELHAM CHIEF CONFESSES, COMMITS SUICIDE. Under it was a photo of Rod Dalvos. "Ah, another day, another demon." Phoebe said. "Too bad Mary Poppins got away."

"Don't worry about it." Buffy said. "I'm sure we'll be seeing her again in about thirty years or so."

"Oh, we won't be doing this in another thirty years." She looked at Alex and motioned to Buffy's stomach. "They will."

"I wonder where we'll be."

"Well, my guess is you'll be sitting right there feeding your grandkids with Angel."

Buffy looked at Alex and smiled. "Let's hope so."

"'ope so!" Alex said with a big smile.

Buffy laughed. "How did your advice for the twins go?"

"So good, I'm thinking about taking it myself." Phoebe opened the newspaper to the Real Estate and pointed at the article on LUXURY LOFTS – ONLY ONE LEFT. "I wanted to know if you'd go with me to check them out."

Buffy smiled. "Sure."

"But?"

"But what?"

"I hear a 'but' in your voice."

"But those lofts are in the city."

"Yeah."

"I'm not in the city. I'm here. In the suburbs. It's been a couple of years now since we've been a good distance apart."

Phoebe smiled and hugged Buffy tightly. "It's not that far away. And you can always get your whitelighter husband to bring you for a visit. Or vice versa. It'll be ok. I promise."


	120. Chapter 120

Chapter 120

The sitting room at the Manor was decorated with streamers, different colored balloons, and a banner that read HAPPY 3RD AND 2ND BIRTHDAY WYATT AND ALEX. Piper rushed into the room with Buffy running in from the other side. Wyatt had gotten the chips bowl with most of the chips on the table next to his bear and run off. Alex was chasing after her mother yelling at Wyatt to stop. Wyatt came to a stop in front of Buffy and laughed.

"Oh, no, sweetie." Piper said. "No, no, no, no, no. That's not funny. What are you doing? What are you doing?" She took the bowl from him and put the chips back in the bowl.

"Wyatt, you know better than that." Buffy said, helping Piper.

"Yeah, Wyatt." Alex scolded. "That bad."

"No, sweetie." Buffy said. "Say that _is_ bad."

"_Is_ bad." Then Alex burst into giggles as Wyatt orbed the bowl off the table and onto his head like a spaceman's hat, dumping the chips again.

"No, sweetie." Piper said. "What do you want? A time out on your birthday?" Piper took the bowl from off Wyatt's head. "Come on, baby." Saddened, Wyatt picked up his bear as Piper pulled Wyatt toward her. "Sweetie, come on. I know you're upset, all right? But everything's going to be ok, all right? Everything's going to be just fine. Mommy's here." She smiled hopefully at him, but he didn't smile back.

"He misses Leo." Buffy said.

"Ok, come here." Piper gave Wyatt a hug. "Listen, why don't you go play with Alex in the other room while mommy and aunt Buffy cleans this up, ok? See you later." Wyatt took Alex's hand and they ran off into the other room. Buffy and Piper started picking the chips up off the table again.

"It isn't easy, is it?" They turned to see an Elder standing behind them. "Sorry, I should have knocked before I orbed."

"What is it? Do you know something about Leo?" Piper asked.

"No more than you do, I'm sorry to say. But the deal you made with the Angel of Destiny will be honored. I assure you, Leo will be returned to you…."

"If and when we defeat whoever the hell it is. Any ideas?"

"If I knew, I'd tell you, Piper. But for whatever reason, you' supposed to find it out on your own."

"Yeah, well, I'm sick and tired of all these reasons that don't really make any sense. I mean, I barely understand it, let alone Wyatt, whose father is here one day and then just disappears the next day. I mean, the kid's a wreck. What am I supposed to do?"

"Everything you are doing, Piper. Living your lives. Celebrating his birthday. Never giving up hope. You know, he's a good kid. He's just acting out."

Wyatt laughed from the other room and the Elder turned in time to see something orbing straight toward him. It solidified into a large pie and hit the Elder right in the face. Buffy couldn't stop the laugh that burst out of her mouth, but she caught the rest of it and slapped her hands against her mouth. Wyatt slowly put his hands down, a smile on his face. Alex was next to him laughing until she fell on her behind. Piper covered her mouth to hid her smile and laughter. The Elder wiped the pie from his eyes as Piper got her laughter under control. "He's a good boy." Piper said. That caused Buffy to start laughing all over again.

Piper came down the stairs tying a balloon as Buffy and Phoebe were walking towards the living room from the kitchen. The balloon slipped out of Piper's hands and deflated. Buffy reached out without thinking and caught the balloon in mid-air. "Here." She handed the balloon back to Piper.

"Maybe I should just cancel this thing." Piper said.

"What? The party?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, the Gods are against me, or at least the balloons are."

"I know you're stressed, but you can't be serious." Buffy said.

"Can't I? I mean, a few things have changed around here since I planned the party like, you know, Wyatt's father is now gone."

"I know, but that's even more reason to have it. It'll give Wyatt a sense of normalcy."

"I know, I know. That's what the Elder says, but I'm starting to think that I'm forcing it on him, trying to pretend like everything's just peachy."

"Well, he misses his dad. It's completely understandable." Phoebe said.

"I know, I know, but I think there's something else, too, something big, and I just wish I could talk to him before, you know, he turns the party guests into toads."

"Well, maybe he'll talk to Aunt Phoebe."

"Ok. But you know he is three."

"Well, it's worth a shot, though, isn't it? Ok. You two do this, and I'll do that." Phoebe headed upstairs where Wyatt was playing with Alex.

Buffy looked at Piper. "Can we finish putting this thing together before Angel gets back with the cake?"

The party was in full swing as Piper maneuvered gifts around running children. Buffy and Angel were standing together by the stairs talking to Miranda, a woman from Wyatt's preschool. Phoebe was still upstairs with Alex and Wyatt. "Where're the birthday kids?" Miranda asked.

"That's a good question." Buffy said. "Phoebe!" She yelled.

Phoebe, carrying Alex in her little pink and purple dress, and Wyatt in his blue striped shirt and khaki pants came down the stairs.

"Sorry. Sorry. Here they are! The birthday babies!"

Everyone applauded at their arrival and Alex leaned out to Angel. He took her in his arms, kissed her with Buffy, and then put her down to go run with Wyatt to play with the other kids.

"Where have you been?" Buffy asked Phoebe.

"Oh, you know, just upstairs chatting and playing with some toys! Wow! This just seems to be a huge success. Maybe we should wrap it up, huh?"

"What are you talking about? The party just started." Buffy narrowed her eyes. "What happened? What's wrong?" Suddenly, an arrow hit the wall nearby, popping the balloon hanging there. Piper let out a yelp.

"That." Phoebe said. A cowboy jumped down from the stairs and took off running and yelling. An Indian pulled back an arrow on his bow and the cowboy took his six-shooter out and pointed it at the Indian. Phoebe gasped and stepped forward to stop anything major from happening. "Ok! Ok! All right! Wow! Are these characters great or what? You can hire them for any party!"

The Indian looked at the cowboy. "You go back on your word. You break your promise."

"It ain't my fault, it's your fault!" The cowboy said.

"Ok. Easy. Relax. Relax." Phoebe said. "You have guests to entertain."

Suddenly from the stairs, a loud booming voice interrupted. "All right, troops!" Buffy looked up to see an army captain. "We got some recon to do! Follow me." The kids smiled and hurried over to follow the captain.

Piper whirled around and glared at Phoebe. "You! You are in big trouble!"

Angel walked over to the door frame and pulled out the arrow. "I'm sure there's a reasonable explanation for all of this." He, Piper, Buffy looked at Phoebe.

"Wyatt did it." Phoebe said.

"Oh sure, blame it on the three year old!" Piper said.

"I'm sorry!"

The army captain peered around the corner at the refreshments table. He turned around and addressed Wyatt, Alex, and the group of kids. "Ok, bear infantry. We're gonna head east past the punchbowl and stop at the balloons. Copy that? Tie your shoes, kid. You're better than that. Ok. Keep your heads down, keep your mouth shut…. and keep your hands out of your neighbor's pockets, ok? You ready? Follow me." The captain led the kids forward. They were surprised by the cowboy and his team. "Aah! Take cover! Take cover!"

"Oh, that's some good stuff." Phoebe said. "You know, bright side is, they're having a good time."

"This is not a good time. This is chaos." Piper said.

"Yeah, but you got to admit the army guy is kinda cute…."

"Forget it, Phoebe. He's not anatomically correct." Buffy said.

"You need to go upstairs and reverse the spell." Piper added.

"I did not cast a spell." Phoebe protested. "Ok, well, maybe I cast a little, little spell, but this…. This is all your son. So he's the only one that can reverse this."

"Well, he got the idea from you, didn't he?"

"Ok, look, I said I was sorry. I was just playing with the dolls with him to try to make him open up about his emotions. That's all."

"That's all? Does this look like 'that's all'?"

"Psst!" Buffy, Angel, Phoebe, and Piper turned to see Paige at the top of the stairs frantically motioning to them to come up.

"You're late." Piper scolded.

"911! Upstairs, now!"

"Ohh…. now what?"

"I'll stay with the kids." Angel said.

"No, come with." Buffy said, pulling him with her.

They went up to Piper's bedroom where Paige explained the situation. "Hostages? Are you kidding?" Piper asked.

"Do I look like I'm kidding?" Paige retorted.

"So how did you get out?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, I said I had to go to the bathroom, which means I have to hurry, hurry, hurry to get back, ok. Uh, Nick has a son, ok? His last name's Edwards. If you can find him and bring him down to the bank, that would be fantastic!"

"Wait…. how?" Phoebe asked.

"Call Henry's office, ok? Say that you know me, say that you know Henry and he says it's ok. Also, call Agent Murphy, have him call Homeland Security and tell SWAT down there to not get trigger happy, ok. We don't want Nick to get killed. Tell Wyatt and Alex I said happy birthday." Paige orbed out.

"I'm so glad Leo's not here to see this." Piper said.

Buffy, Angel, Piper, and Phoebe watched the news report on the television set. Piper was on the phone taling to Agent Murphy. "But the license plate of the car that rammed into the bank has been traced to Nick Edwards of Ingleside, a decorated ex-marine who…." Buffy switched the television set off.

"Well, now we owe Agent Murphy again." Piper said.

"At least they bought some time." Phoebe said. "I'm really worried about Paige and Billie. Do you think we should call the Elders?"

"No, it's not a magical problem." Angel said. "There's nothing they can do. There's really nothing we can do either."

"Should we ask everyone to leave?"

"No, Alex and Wyatt'll be crushed." Buffy said. "This is the most fun both of them have had in a long time."

"Thanks to his new huge big action heroes?" Phoebe said to Piper.

"Yeah." Piper agreed as they headed back downstairs.

"So how well do you know Leo?" The captain said as the Indian had his bow and arrow pointed at someone's back.

"When's the last time you seen him?" The Indian asked. "Answer his question!"

Piper rushed forward and pushed the arrow away. "No, no, no, no! We don't point weapons at the guests! Come on!"

"Wow, do these guys know how to put on a show or what?" Phoebe said.

A balloon popped and the captain yelled, "Get down! Get down! Take cover! Take cover!" All the kids crouched down to the floor while the live action figures protectively surrounded them, waving the weapons around looking for attackers.

"Ok, ok." Buffy called. "It's just a balloon."

"All right, folks, as you were."

"Ok, I'll go." Piper said. "You guys stay with Wyatt and make sure he turns Pinocchio back into wood." Piper left the house, grabbing her purse and coat.

Buffy turned in time to watch as the cowboy look at Wyatt and remove his hat. "Don't you worry, little buddy. We ain't gonna give up until we find him. You can count on it."

The Indian kicked the attic door open and walked in followed by the cowboy and the captain. They immediately started searching the attic as Buffy rushed in with Phoebe right behind her. "Ok…. whoa, whoa." Buffy said. "Let's not scare the guests any more than we already have, ok? What are you guys looking for anyway?"

"Great white father." The Indian said.

"Leo?"

"Stand down. He's not here." The captain said.  
"Maybe we should check the basement." The cowboy said.

They started to leave, but Buffy stayed in their way. "Hey! Back up, all of you. How do you know we have a basement?"

"Don't know. Just do." The cowboy said.

"And who told you to look for Leo?" Phoebe asked.

"No one, ma'am." The captain said. "He's missing and it's our job to find him. Now if you'll excuse us…."

Buffy stopped them from leaving again. "No! Go back. Why is it your job?"

"Cause it's our fault he's gone." The cowboy said.

"Your fault? How would it be your fault?"

"It is also great white father's fault." The Indian said. "He broke his promise."

"Ok, that's the second time you mentioned the promise. What promise are we talking about?"

"The promise at he would always be there, ma'am," The captain said. "That he would never leave."

"Unless he left on account of something we done." The cowboy said.

"'We'? Oh, my God. You're not Wyatt's toys. You're Wyatt!" Buffy said.

The party was finally finished and Buffy thanked the guests as they left. "Bye! Thank you for coming. Bye. Bye, sweet girl. Take care."

"Thank you so much." Emma's mother said. "This was the best birthday party Emma has ever been to. Those characters were amazing!"

"Yeah, well, you can thank Wyatt…. And Alex for that."

"I look forward to the baby shower."

Buffy laughed. "Me too."

Piper walked into the house and looked at Buffy. "Piper, where have you been?" Emma's mother asked. "I can't believe you missed half the party."

"Yeah, I know. But what are you gonna do? Ok, bye-bye!"

"Thank you so much. Take care." Buffy said, shutting the door.

"Oy…. did you guys get rid of them?" Piper asked.

"Not exactly." Buffy said. "I think you're gonna have to have a conversation before that happens." Phoebe and Angel walked up.

"That's gonna have to wait, because I think things took a turn for the worse at the bank…. demonically worse." Piper said.

"What? How do you know?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, it's just a hunch, but I think Billie's possessor demon just stole the show. And if I read Paige's signal correctly, she's gonna need our help to stop him." Piper turned and saw the three live action figures playing paper-rock-scissors with Wyatt and Alex. "Is he safe with them?"

"More than you know." Buffy said.

Phoebe and Piper were making a potion when the phone rang. Buffy picked it up and answered. "Hey, it's me." It was Billie as Paige.

"We're almost done with the potion." Buffy said.  
"Ah! That's great."

"Ok…. they should be there any second."

"Are you sure it's the possessor demon? Because that's what we're making the potion for."

"Positive. Ok, I'm outta here. Angel and I'll be there in a minute." Billie hung up.

Just then Paige as Billie and Rohtul as Nick orbed into the attic. Paige rolled away quickly and Phoebe and Piper threw the potion and hit Nick's body. Nick fell to the floor leaving Rohtul standing, separated from the body.

"How…. but you can't orb!" He cried.

"No. But Paige can." Paige waved her hand over her face and changed back to herself.

"She switched identities during the smoke bomb." Piper said. "With the real Billie."

Billie walked into the attic with Angel right behind her. He'd gone to the bank and orbed her home. "Talking about me?" Billie asked. She walked over to the potions table and pointed to a bottle. "This one?"

"Sure." Phoebe said.

Billie picked up the bottle and Rohtul tried to shimmer out, but Piper blasted him. He fell back against the couch and Billie stepped forward. "So, uh, where were we?" She threw the potion and blew Rohtul up. Billie sighed and turned around.

Paige crossed her arms and looked at Billie. "Yes…. where were we?"

"What is it gonna take to get through to you?" Piper asked.

"All right, you guys, I know." Billie said. "Believe me, I get it. You don't have to tell me anymore. I just wanna find my sister so badly."

"I know, and I wanna get my husband back very badly, but that doesn't mean I run around half-cocked all the time to do it."

"And it's not gonna do your sister any good if you get killed while trying to find her." Buffy said.

"I know. I know that now. I'm not gonna let vengeance drive me to try and find her. Now it's about bringing her home safely. And that's it."

"What do we do with him?" Phoebe asked, pointing at Nick.

"Well, I guess I'll orb he and Billie to the park." Paige said. "Maybe you can stumble outta there calling for help?"

"Well, what's he gonna do?" Billie asked.

"He's probably gonna have to go back to prison unless Henry can find somebody to help him out."

"Hey, you know, speaking of Henry, how did he make such a miraculous recovery?" Billie asked.

"Well, I don't really think we have to discuss that now."

"What happened?" Piper asked.

"Well, I think that Paige healed him." Billie said.

"By yourself?" Angel asked.

"It's not a big deal." Paige said.

"Well, it makes sense. You are half Whitelighter." Phoebe said.

"Still, something pretty extreme must have happened between you two. What were you feeling?" Angel asked.

"Love, maybe?" Billie said.

"Don't make me sorry that I saved you." Paige said, walking over to Billie and orbing her and Nick out.

"I need to go have a chat with my son." Piper said.

"We'll clean up while you do." Phoebe said.


	121. Chapter 121

Chapter 121

Angel carried two boxes into the Manor's kitchen while cradling his cell phone on his shoulder. He was talking to Piper, who was out running errands. "No, the cocktail napkins were delivered to the Manor for some insane reason. Just tell Dominic to be outside in twenty minutes. I'm gonna do a drive-by. I'll let you know." Angel sighed and hung up. He looked around for his keys, but he couldn't find them. "They were right here."

"They're on the counter." Billie said behind him. Startled that there was someone in the kitchen with him, since Piper was gone, Phoebe had moved out, and Paige was at Henry's, Angel jumped and turned to glare. Billie was standing by the island putting a tray together. "Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you."

"That's ok. If I were still a vampire, I would've known you were there. Uh, where's Buffy?"

"She's upstairs with Christy.

"How's Christy doing?"

"She hasn't even said anything. I mean, I told her I wanted to call mom and dad, and she closed up even more."

"It's only been a couple days."

"I know, but what if I never get through to her?"

"You will. You just have to be patient and follow Buffy's lead. She's been through what you're going through."

"Really? When?"

"When I came back from hell. The only thing you can really do is just be there for Christy. And if you need anything we are just a call or an orb away. I've got to go. Tell Buffy I'll be back in about an hour or so." Angel grabbed the two boxes and headed out.

"You're not orbing?"

"No. Every now and then I like to enjoy the fact that I can walk in the sunlight without bursting into flames." He gave a quick nod and walked out.

Billie walked into Phoebe's old room carrying a tray of something to eat and drink for Christy. "Knock knock. Hey, I brought you some breakfast."

"Over here." Buffy said from a corner between the night table and the wall. She was kneeling next to Christy who was curled up in a ball, her forehead buried in her knees and her hands locked around her ankles.

"Christy?"

Sniffling, Christy raised her head and looked at Billie. "They're coming."

"Who?" Christy just put her head back on her knees. Billie looked at Buffy. "What happened?"

"She was fine a minute ago." Buffy said. "I was brushing her hair and she just…. Wigged and came over here." Buffy stood up. "'They're coming' sounds like something not good, so I'm gonna call Phoebe, Piper, and Paige. Was Angel just downstairs?"

"Yeah. He said he'll be back in an hour or so."

"Ok. Then I won't bother him. When he sets his mind to work, it's hard to pry him off it."

The front door opened and Paige and Phoebe walked in, mid-conversation. "Well, I guess we figured, you know, they'd try to get Christy back sooner or later." Paige said.

"Yeah, I just wish it was later rather than sooner." Phoebe said. "Give the girl time to heal."

"I just wish we knew who they were, and why they're coming."

"And why they want her back."

Buffy came down the stairs with Billie behind her carrying the untouched tray. "It doesn't matter because they won't be getting her back." Billie said.

"That's why we're here, sweetie." Phoebe said. "How is she?"

"Very scared." Billie turned and took the tray back into the kitchen.

"Well, has she said anything? You know, who these demons might be, when they're coming?" Paige asked.

"No, nothing."

"Ok, well, we need to try to come up with some sort of game plan, don't you think?"

"Yeah, I agree." Buffy said. "But we don't know anything. We don't know where they've been keeping her this whole time."

"Which is why we have to find out what she knows, get her to open up." Phoebe said.

"I just think it's too much for her right now." Billie said.

"Look, if they held her captive for fifteen years, she must know something, at least be able to ID them."

"I just don't want to pressure her right now."

"Well, sweetheart, she's already under pressure because she knows that they're coming." Paige said.

"Do you think they're contacting her?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, maybe." Paige said. "Then again, maybe she's got some sort of telepathic thing going on. It would actually kind of figure that she'd have powers, right? Maybe that could be why they wanted her in the first place."

"And why they want her back. You have to talk to her."

"I just don't think she's ready for that." Billie said.

Buffy looked at Billie. "Billie, I think that, if it's coming from you, she'll be ok. She's your sister. There's no stronger bond than that."

"Uhh, all right. I'll try." Billie headed upstairs.

"Ok, I'm gonna whip up a quick potion, and you guys go to the Book and make a list of all the telepathic demons, ok?" Phoebe said.

"You're in a hurry." Buffy said.

Phoebe rushed up the stairs. "Yep! Well, I got a new condo to enjoy." She stopped when she heard a whirlwind of orb-like particles appear in the foyer.

"Lamp!" Paige called. The lamp orbed off the table, hurling toward the particles when they solidified and a hand caught the lamp mid-air.

"Excuse me, but I don't think you recognize my entrance." A very prim, man dressed in a tie and suit stood in front of them. He placed the lamp back on the table. "Fear not, ladies. I'm one of the good guys. The best, actually, so…. Oh, yes, the legendary Manor where generations of Halliwells have blossomed into witches."

"Who are you, and what do you want?" Buffy asked.

"Of course. Ladies, I am Simon Theotus Reginald Marks, and I'm here to take Paige Matthews as my wife." Paige's eyes widened and her lips moved, but there was no sound coming out.

Buffy was the first one to speak, but all she could manage was, "I've gotta pee." And went upstairs. When she came back down, Simon was pacing the floor of the conservatory, Paige was standing in the doorway, and Phoebe was reading a scroll. Buffy sat down by Phoebe and looked at the scroll. It was a family tree.

"I, uh…. I grew up on the stories of the Warren line of witches." Simon said. "Grams and her many, many lovers, and, or course, Patricia's trysts with her whitelighter. Goodness, you're a randy bunch."

"Is there some sort of Magical Enquirer I've not heard of?" Paige asked.

"Wow! Our families worked together during the Salem witch trials?" Phoebe said. "That is so cool." Paige hit the scroll and gave Phoebe a glare. "Well, you know, I'm just saying, he checks out."

"Well, you know, I am a descendant of the mighty Marx, which is a very powerful, very noble line of witches." Simon boasted. "To be honest with you, I'm a little surprised you don't know who I am, but, uh…." He looked at Phoebe. "Oh, my goodness, you're fetching."

"Oh, that's so sweet." Phoebe said.

"But you're not half whitelighter, which is a requisite for my future mate, so sorry to disappoint you. But you, on the other hand…." He turned to look at Paige.

Paige raised her hands to stop him from going any further. "Uh, did you just say 'future mate'?"

"No, no, that was…. that was…. it came out wrong. Apologies."

"Ok, here's the deal. We're actually super, super busy so it'd be fabulous if you could just orb yourself off now."

"Well, I'll ignore that. But, Paige, I'm not leaving without you. After all, we are destined to be wed."

"Ok, who says?" Buffy asked.

"Well, only forty of the most powerful oracles and soothsayers from around the globe, plus a wizard or two, so…. When you think about it, Paige, it makes all the sense in the world, bringing our two magical lines together. We would be the ultimate power couple."

"Ok, uh, we're not gonna be bringing our lines or bringing anything together for that matter, ok?" Paige said.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want to! And because I have a boyfriend."

"A boyfriend? Hmm, I see. And who is he? A witch? A whitelighter?"

"His name is Henry, and he is a parole officer by trade, and he is a mortal."

"Ooh! An immortal no less. Very impressive. Taking after your young cousin, Buffy, here."

"No! Not immortal. A mortal, as in non-magical?"

"Oh. Well, what would you expect? That makes absolutely no sense to me at all. Having a…. having a mortal around whilst you're fighting evil is, well, let's face it…. irresponsible."

"Ok, uh, you need to go now."

"Unless you want to stay and help us vanquish some demons." Phoebe added.

"Of course, ma'am." Simon said. "Having a powerful witch around like myself can only be an asset. Tell me, how does Harry fare in a magical battle?"

"Hen-ry! And he fares just fine in whatever he wants to fare in." Paige snapped.

"I'll be honest with you. I'm a little surprised you're not taking to this. You know, me? I mean, imagine, if you will, the evil we could vanquish as a couple."

"We are not now, nor will we ever be, a couple!" Paige grabbed Buffy and Phoebe and orbed to the attic.

"I'm going to go check on Billie and Christy and make sure Alex is still sleeping." Buffy shook her head. "I swear, it's almost like I never moved out." She headed downstairs and lightly knocked on the door to Phoebe's old room.

Billie opened it a moment later. "Hey."

"How's it going?"

"She's still not talking, but she can hear voices. I got that much out of her before she clammed up again."

"Good. Keep trying, but don't push her. I'm right upstairs with Phoebe and Paige if you need me."

"Thanks."

Buffy shut the door and went into Wyatt's room. Alex was asleep in the crib. Buffy flipped on the baby monitor and took it upstairs with her. She was at the door when she heard Paige say, "I mean, who's this guy think he is? He just shows up and announces that we're destined to be together?"

Phoebe was over at the potions table working on the potion. "Well, according to forty oracles and a soothsayer, your future husband."

"That is really not funny."

"How's the list coming?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I have a dozen that have telepathic powers."

"Well, hopefully, Billie can convince Christy to narrow it down for us a little bit." Just then, the doorbell rang. "Who's here?"

"Rats, I forgot. Henry and I have a lunch date."

"Oh, you might want to reschedule in case a demon attacks." Phoebe said.

"Why, look at you. You sound like Sir Full Of Himself."

"Well, he might not be your Mr. Right, but he does have a point."

Buffy came down the stairs just as Piper opened the front door, her arms full of groceries. Paige and Henry were standing near the door. Wyatt followed Piper inside. "Ok, come on, baby." Piper said. She looked up and saw Henry reaching to take the bags from her. "Oh, hi. Sorry. Oh, thanks. Go on. Wyatt's really gotta go." Wyatt ran past Buffy and up the stairs. "Uh, you could just put those on the dining room table. That'd be great." Piper said to Henry.

"Sure." Henry headed for the dining room. "Hey Buffy."

"Hi Henry." Buffy said.

"Thanks. Sweetie, don't forget to wash your hands!" Piper called after Wyatt. She turned to Buffy and Paige. "I hear we have demons attacking?"

"How did you hear that?" Paige asked.

"You know, your friend Simon? British, very cocky?"

"Who's Simon?" Henry asked.

"Nobody!" Paige snapped.

"Ok, I have two seconds for you to catch me up. Go."

"Christy finally spoke." Buffy said. "Unfortunately, she said something weird. 'They're coming'?"

"Who's coming? When?"

"It's ok." Paige said. "Buffy, Phoebe, and I have got this under control. We didn't want to tell you because we know you've got a crazy day."

"Crazier than you think. Guess who I just ran into, literally?"

"Who?" Buffy and Paige asked.

"Greg."

"No way!" Buffy said.

"Greg….?" Paige asked.

"Fireman Greg." Piper said.

"Ohh! He was the hot Greg. You gonna go out with him?"

"Oh, God, don't be ridiculous." Piper headed into the kitchen.

The door opened and Angel walked in. "Hey."

"Hey sweetie." Buffy gave her husband a kiss. "I thought you were coming back earlier."

"Sorry. Doyle called with a vision."

"I thought he didn't get those anymore."

"Sometimes. When it's important."

"Everything ok now?"

"Yeah. I orbed the demon into a volcano."

Buffy was about to say something that, but Alex started calling for her from the baby monitor. "I'll be back."

"I'll get her." Angel headed up the stairs.  
"And I'll fill you in on the way upstairs."

"Fill me in on what?"

"Christy spoke."

"Oh, really? What'd she say?"

"'They're coming.'"

"Who's coming?"

Buffy shrugged. "That's all she said. And then Billie said Christy's hearing voices."

"Daddy!" Alex started bouncing and jumped into Angel's arms.

"Hey sweetheart." Angel kissed her cheek. "How's my little angel?"

"Now we're just kinda buckling down and waiting for the attack." Buffy said as she played with Alex's tousled hair.

"Should I take her out of here?"

"No." Just then Wyatt ran into the room calling Alex's name. "Wyatt's here. He'll protect her."

"Ok." Angel set Alex down on the floor. "Play with Wyatt, Alex. Daddy loves you."

"Mommy!" Alex grabbed for Buffy's hand. Buffy kneeled down and Alex hugged her stomach. "I give baby hug."

Buffy kissed her daughter's hair. "I love you munchkin."

"Love mommy. Love daddy." Alex turned to go play with Wyatt.


	122. Chapter 122

Chapter 122

Piper had set a sandwich spread on the dining room table. Buffy and Angel had Alex between them in her high chair and between Buffy and Paige was Wyatt. Paige was playing with him, teasing him with his food. Henry sat across from Paige near Piper at the head of the table.

"So, how long does it usually take for demons to attack?" Henry asked.

"Well, it could be anytime really." Paige said. "You know, it depends."

"On….?"

"On timing, you know, usually the worse it is for us, the better it is for them, you know? That kind of thing." Piper said. "Mustard?"

"Uh, no, thanks."

"You can still opt out if you want." Paige offered.

"Not a chance."

Billie and Christy were hurrying down the stairs with Billie calling, "Incoming!"

"What? What is it?" Buffy asked.

"They're here." Christy said.

Suddenly, three demons shimmered into the living room. Billie grabbed Christy and pulled her down. "Get down!" Two of the demons started fireballs and Billie immediately blasted them. One of the demons was thrown and lost his shoe. Both demons were blasted backward over the sofa and into the conservatory. Paige looked at Henry and he got up to get out of the way.

Piper leaned over toward Wyatt. "Sweetie, why don't you and Alex orb up to your room?" Wyatt took Alex's hand and orbed out.

Christy started to get up and a demon took a step toward her, a fireball forming in his hand. Piper turned and saw the demon. She blasted him into oblivion. Paige waved her hand at the fireball hurled toward Billie. "Fireball!" Billie ducked backward as Paige pushed the fireball aside. The deflected fireball hit Henry in the shoulder. He turned and fell against the wall. He looked at the injury to his shoulder.

Christy put her hands to her head and screamed. "No!" Suddenly, the couch caught on fire. The two demons in the conservatory stood up and shimmered out of the house.

Paige kneeled down to check on Henry's injury, but he brushed her aside. "It's ok. I'm all right. I'm ok."

Buffy walked across to the coat closet to get the fire extinguisher as Billie helped Christy to her feet. "Are you ok?" Billie asked Christy.

Buffy put the fire out as Phoebe came down the stairs, her hands full of potions vials. "What's going on? What happened?"

"Ask the fire starter." Angel said, looking at Christy.

Buffy opened the front door to find Greg standing there. "Hi."

"Buffy!" Greg smiled and gave her a hug. "You're pregnant again!"

"Yes. 20 weeks now."

"Oh, man! Congratulations. And that would make your first…."

"She's two now."

"Oh, the terrible twos."

"Yes. But so far, it's been easy."

"Buffy, who is it?" Piper called, walking in from the kitchen. "Greg."

"Hey Piper."

"What are you doing here?"

"I'm sorry just to show up like this, but I've got…. you've got a little something there on your cheek." He pointed to the smudge of baking flour on her cheek.

"Oh…." Piper wiped it off with the cloth.

"Frosting?"

"No. I was just baking cookies for my son's party. Um…. anyway…."

"Anyway, there's a guy in my station, he used to work at a body shop, and he says he can fix our cars for next to nothing."

"Oh, that's great."

"But there's a catch. You see, he's leaving this afternoon, and his next shift isn't for like four days, but if you get your car down there right now, he can take care of everything."

"Well, I can't go. I mean, I've gotta bake a zillion cookies and drop 'em off at Wyatt's school."

"I smell smoke." Concerned, Greg moved past the two women to find the source of the smoke.

"Well, uh, you know, I burned a few cookies." Piper said as she and Buffy followed him.

Greg stopped in front of the scorch marks on the couch. "Looks like you burned more than a few cookies."

"Well, you know, kids." Suddenly, the fire alarm blared. "Those are the cookies." Piper left for the kitchen.

Greg saw Alex and Wyatt playing in the conservatory. "Oh, is that her?"

"Yes, that's Alex." Buffy said.

"She's gorgeous."

"Thank you."

"Do you mind….?"

"No, go ahead. She loves meeting new people."

Buffy followed Greg as he walked over to Wyatt and Alex playing with their toys. "Hey, buddy. Hey, little man, what's up? Pretty cool truck."

"Alex." Buffy said. Her little girl looked up and then nestled into her mother's arms. "Alex, this is Greg. Can you say hi?"

"Hi Geg." Alex said.

"Oh, she talks so good." Greg said.

"She's pretty smart. I'm just waiting for the elic part to kick in."

Greg laughed. "She's too sweet for that. Hi, Alex. It's nice to finally meet you."

"Mommy's having a baby." Alex announced.

"I see that. You're going to be a big sister."

Alex looked at Buffy for confirmation. Buffy smiled and nodded and then the smile faded as Simon orbed in behind Greg. "Great."

"Ah, master Wyatt, Miss Alex, it's an honor." Simon bowed to Wyatt and Alex as Greg turned and got to his feet. "Harry? Now, you must understand that your kind and our kind simply can't co-mingle."

"Where did you come from?"

"Outer space." Buffy said, standing up.

"What?"

"Greg, that's Simon."

"Simon?" Paige said, marching down the steps.

"Darling!" Simon turned and rushed to greet Paige. He grabbed her hand to kiss it, Paige pulled her hand out of his grasp.

"Uh! What are you doing here?"

"I am just explaining things to Harry here."

"If you mean Henry, that is not him. Uh…. in fact, I don't know who that is."

"Paige, that's Greg." Buffy said.

"Oh, right. Greg. Ok, uh…. excuse us." Paige grabbed Simon and pulled him out of the room.

"Is everything ok?" Greg asked Buffy.

Buffy snorted. "Yeah. He's just an annoyance that'll go away soon. I hope." She smiled when Angel walked down the stairs. "Angel."

"Hi." Angel looked at Greg suspiciously.

"Angel, this is Greg."

"Fireman Greg?"

"The very one." Greg said, shaking Angel's hand. "You're Buffy's boyfriend?"

"Husband."

"Oh, you two finally got married."

"Yes."

Alex walked up and tugged on Buffy's pants. "Mommy. Greg come play?"

Buffy looked up at Greg. "That's your call."

Greg smiled. "Sure, Alex." He followed the little blonde two year old back over to her cousin and sat down to play.

"Hey, how's it going?" Piper asked coming in from the kitchen as Paige came back from slamming the door.

"Uh, not so good." Paige said. "Simon just orbed in in front of your friend. Luckily, he didn't see anything."

"Oh, thank God. Did you find who that shoe belongs to?"

"No, we haven't yet, but we're on top of it, and it's not your job, so don't worry about it."

"Hey, Piper, if you want my buddy to fix the car, we better get going." Greg said.

"Oh, gee, that's really great, but…."

"Piper, finish the cookies." Buffy said. "I'll take your car to get fixed and Alex and Wyatt can play on the fire truck." Greg nodded his approval. "You can take my car to drop off the cookies."

Greg and Buffy walked past the fire truck. Wyatt was sitting in the driver's seat under the watchful eye of a fireman. Alex was in the fireman's arms begging Wyatt to honk the horn. There were other kids there as well.

"You sure you can't pay him something more for this?" Buffy asked.

"No, he's good. Don't worry about it." Greg said.

"Well, it doesn't seem right, especially since it was Piper's fault, not yours."

"It's no big deal. He's a fireman. He likes to help people."

"Is that why you became a fireman?"

"I guess. I mean, it sure ain't the pay." Suddenly the fire truck siren blared and Alex gave a squeal of delight and started begging Wyatt to do it again. "You know, I wanted to call Piper and stay in touch, but I felt weird after I heard she and Leo got back together."

"It's ok."

"Hey, I don't mean to pry or anything, but I couldn't help notice that he didn't seem to be around. Is everything ok?"

"Yeah."

"So is he around?"

"Well, Leo's been away."

"Away."

"On business." Buffy's cell phone rang. "Excuse me. Hello?"

"I think you need to come home." Phoebe said.

"What do you mean? Why?"

"Well, we've ID'd the demons that took Christy, but we can't find them anywhere."

"They're low level. They shouldn't be that hard to find."

"Yeah, that's why we think something else is going on, like maybe they're being protected by other demons, more powerful demons."

"Like who?" Buffy heard someone scream in the background. "What was that?"

"Hurry!" The line went dead.

"Phoebe! Phoebe!"

"Is something wrong?"

"Um, actually, do you think you could watch Wyatt and Alex for me for a little while? I've gotta run…. Down the street…. For a little while. Phoebe…. is having an emergency."

"Yeah, sure."

"Ok, thanks. I owe you." Buffy hurried away and ducked into the nearest alley to call Angel.

Billie paced the room in front of Buffy, Angel, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige. "I don't understand," She said. "Everything was going so well. I mean, she was laughing, we were having fun, and, oh, I just don't know how this happened."

"Hang on a second. Start from the beginning." Buffy said. "What were you guys doing right before?"

"Well, I was showing her how to control her powers the same way you guys showed me, and she was getting it. She was really excited."

"And then?" Angel asked.

"And then she started hearing some voices, voices she started talking to."

"What was she saying?" Paige asked.

"At first, she wanted them to go away, and then it was something about being the key or that she didn't want to be the key or…."

"Wait a minute." Piper said. "What key?"

"To the ultimate power?"

"Whoa. Excuse me?" Phoebe asked.

"Oh, no, not another one." Buffy groaned.

"Yeah, I don't know." Billie said.

"Well, that explains why they took her now." Phoebe said.

"And then, the weirdest thing happened. She just changed. Her expression got very dark. Then that demon from before showed up, and before I knew it, I was on fire." Buffy, Paige, Phoebe, and Piper exchanged silent looks. "What?"

"Well, it's just, if that's true, the demon that took her didn't have telepathic powers, which means she had to contact them." Phoebe said.

"That's ridiculous. Why would she do that?"

"Because they're all she knows." Paige said.

"No. No, that's not what happened, ok? You guys weren't there. Christy and I connected as sisters. So if those demons didn't contact her, then some other demons did. Ok?"

"That's a possibility."

"So what are we waiting for? How do we find her?"

"Well, I guess we could start by trying to figure out who this ultimate power is, and maybe they tie into how we're supposed to get Leo back." Buffy said.

Paige's cell phone rang. "Henry? Duels? Why? I have to go." Paige orbed out.

"What…." Piper started.

Buffy shook her head. "Henry and Simon are apparently dueling."

"What!" Phoebe said.

"How could you hear that?" Piper asked.

"Slayer hearing, remember?" Buffy shrugged. "It's a thing." She stood up. "Let's start searching, shall we?"

Buffy opened the door to Greg with Alex and Wyatt in each arm. Wyatt was wearing a fireman's hat. Both kids had chocolate smudged smiles. "Hello!" Buffy said.

"Hi, mommy." Alex said, leaning out of Greg's arm towards Buffy.

"Hi, aunt Buffy." Wyatt said, climbing down from Greg's other arm.

"Hi! Looks like you guys had fun. Can you say thank you?"

"Thank you." Both kids said.

"We gotta get it back here, kiddo." Greg took the fireman's hat off Wyatt. "There you go. You're welcome, guys. Anytime."

"Ok, why don't you two go play, and I'll be right there, ok?" Wyatt and Alex scurried away.

"They're great kids."

"Thank you for everything."

"Oh, it was my pleasure. So, when did you buy this house?"

"Um…. A few months ago. Almost a year, I think."

"It's beautiful."

"Thank you. We had to do some renovating before we could move in. We've only lived here for a few months."

"It already feels homey."

"Where's Angel?"

"Oh, he's at P3 tonight. He's Piper's assistant manager and sometimes bartender."

"Cool. So, did you want me to take Wyatt back to Piper's house?"

"Oh, no. He's staying the night here. He and Alex are nearly inseparable, so we try not to separate them too much. It's a good arrangement. He stays here one night, Alex stays there one night. Piper can focus on Chris and when the baby comes, I can focus on him…. or her."

"You don't know what you're having?"

"I have a hunch. But I have a doctor's appointment in two days and hopefully the baby will be in a good position this time."

"You don't want it to be a surprise?"

"God no!" Buffy laughed. "I've got to get the nursery ready and I want it in the right colors."

"Call me if you need help on that."

"Ok."

"Well, it was really great to see you again, Buffy. I'll stop and say hi to Piper and let her know Wyatt is safe with his aunt."

"Thanks. Bye, Greg." Greg turned and left as Buffy closed the front door.

Angel orbed in just after the kids had been put to bed. "Hey."

"Hi." Buffy kissed him gently.

"I hear kids."

"Alex and Wyatt are in the other room."

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. I was just thinking."

"About?"

"Christy." Angel nodded as Buffy pulled him away from Alex's room. "She's the key, and whatever that means, it can't be good."

"Maybe it is. Maybe she's here to help us fight whatever comes next, you know?"

Buffy shrugged. "I guess we're just gonna have to wait and see. But I'm not as optimistic as you are." Angel closed the door to their bedroom. "She spent the last how many years with demons? It's all she knows. My spider senses are tingling on this, Angel."

"Ok." He hugged her tightly. "We'll keep an eye on everything."


	123. Chapter 123

Chapter 123

Buffy, Phoebe, Billie, and Christy were at Phoebe's loft working on getting Christy integrated into the world. Piper was on speakerphone saying, "Well, we haven't made much progress here, either. The whole Christy ultimate power thing has got me kind of stumped."

Phoebe looked through the clothes hanging in her closet. "Piper, relax. You sound so stressed. Don't worry! We'll figure it out. You're like hyperventilating."

"I'm not hyperventilating. I'm kneading dough, do-do."

"You're kneading bread?"

"Uh, yeah! You are talking to a former chef, you know? Don't act so surprised."

"Are you sure you're ok with this?" Buffy asked, walking over from where Christy was standing in front of a mirror. "Throwing Paige an engagement party without…."

"Are you kidding? It's exactly what Leo would want us to do. Besides, Paige deserves what Leo and I had and what Buffy and Angel had."

"And you will have that again as soon as we figure out what we're up against." Phoebe said.

"Well, until then, someone in this family is going to have a normal, happy wedding engagement, party and all. Speaking of which, how's the Christy project going?"

"Actually, it's going really well." Buffy said. "This morning, we mastered the art of walking in high heels, and now we're just picking out an outfit…."

"Try that one." Phoebe said to Billie, handing her a dress.

"Ok." Billie put the clothes down and took the dress.

"And we're gonna go for a little test run at a cafe, you know? See how it goes." Buffy said.

"Great. Because demons attacking at the party I can handle, but Christy eating with her hands, I cannot handle."

"Don't worry. She will be totally, totally ready by tomorrow night." Phoebe said.

"Thank you. Buffy, did you go to the doctor?"

"Yes." Buffy said, picking out another outfit from Phoebe's closet and looking at it wistfully.

"And?"

"I'll show you the ultrasounds later."

"I want to know now."

"No. I'll show you later. Bye Piper." Buffy hit the end button as Christy got her arm and head stuck in the dress and lost her balance on the high heels she was wearing. She toppled sideways into Billie and the two girls fell to the floor. "Oh!"

Billie, laughing and helping Christy up, looked over at Buffy. "Wait, you know what you're having?"

"Yes." Buffy helped Billie up as Phoebe helped Christie up.

"Why didn't you tell us?"

"Phoebe knew."

"Well!" Buffy sighed and went over to her purse. She pulled out the envelope with the 4D ultrasound pictures and DVD. "There's a movie!"

"Yes."  
"Oh, can we watch it? Please, Buffy?"

Buffy looked at Phoebe. "In the living room." Phoebe said, fixing Christy's dress.

"What are we watching?" Christy asked.

"Buffy's ultrasound."

"What's that? I don't remember."

"It's a picture of the baby and now you can have a DVD playing what the doctor and Buffy saw on the screen."

"Oh. Cool."

Billie put the DVD in and turned the TV on. A picture came up and then the video started. "Awe! It's not black and white and scratchy."

"No. I got the 4D scans." Buffy said.

"So…. What is it?" Christy asked.

"I'm having a boy."

"Oh!" Billie cooed. "Look, he's sucking his thumb!"

"We're going to have to break him of that habit." Phoebe said, poking Buffy in the back as she came in and sat down next to Buffy.

"Yes, we will." Buffy agreed. "Alex still sucks hers sometimes."

"Have you got any names yet?" Billie asked, looking through the pictures.

"Oh, uh….. Yeah, I think so. We're thinking about Connor."

"Oh, I can't wait for you to have him. I love babies."

Buffy smiled. "They're fun until you realize you can't give them back." Billie and Phoebe laughed, but Christy looked a little horrified. "Not really. Who's hungry?"

Buffy, Billie, and Phoebe watched Christy as she noisily ate a chicken breast with her fingers, ripping the flesh from the meat with her teeth. Other patrons at the sidewalk café stared at her with distasteful expressions on their faces. Phoebe glanced at the other patrons noting that they were watching. "Ok! Utensils!"

Christy looked at them, suddenly self-conscious. She put the chicken down revealing a grease-smudged face. "Right. Sorry."

"No, it's ok." Billie said. "You're doing…. you're doing fine."

Buffy smiled slightly and pointed to her own mouth. "You know, honey, you have a little something…. everywhere." Christy wiped her sleeve across her mouth. Just-fine.

Billie picked up her coffee cup. "You know, um, why don't we just stick to liquids?"

"I'm a freak." Christy said. "I'm never gonna get this."

"Oh, no. I mean, you were raised by demons for fifteen years. You can't expect to get all this in one week. Just eat your salad."

"Yeah, just relax. Relax. Concentrate." Phoebe said.

Christy took a deep breath and concentrated on her salad. And accidentally set her salad on fire. "Oh! My goodness!" Billie cried.

"Goodness. Ok. Ok. That's not…." Phoebe dipped her napkin into her water and tossed it on the fire.

Buffy grabbed the water and threw the rest of it on the napkin putting the fire out. "Well…."

"Uh, maybe this was a little premature." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. We need to leave now."

"Ok, I'm going to give you money…."

"Thank you." Buffy said, taking the money from Phoebe as she got up.

"I'm going to go run some errands, and I'll meet you at the house, ok?" She looked at Christy. "You're gonna get this. I promise." Phoebe grabbed her bag and backed away from the table as she left. Buffy watched as Phoebe dug through her bag as she crossed the street, her head down. She wasn't paying attention to where she was going and bumped into a tall, handsome man. She didn't stop and kept going. Midway through the street, Phoebe paused to dig through her bag.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Hey!" Buffy ran over to Phoebe. "Hey! Hello?"

Phoebe looked up from her bag. "What?"

"What do you mean 'what'?"

"What?"

"That guy was hot. He was checking you out. What are you doing?"

"He was? I didn't even see him."

"I know. That's why I came over here."

"Ok, let's just focus on Christy. Otherwise, we're going to have to deal with the wrath of Piper." Phoebe turned and continued on her way, leaving Buffy watching her and shaking her head.

Buffy, Billie, and Christy were back at the Manor. Billie was showing Christy how to hold a glass, Buffy was arranging flowers in a couple of vases, and Piper walked out of the kitchen with a tray of glasses.

"….and then we clink." Billie said, clinking her glass against Christy's glass.

"You need to wash those." Piper said. "I don't know if I ordered enough."

"Why clink?" Christy asked.

"You know, I don't really know. It's just kind of a thing. Ok, and now we sip." Billie said. Christy glugged and drops of water spilled down the side of her face. "That was…. that was really nice. I should've told you what 'sip' meant. It's ok." Christy raised her wrist to wipe her mouth on her sleeve. "No! Don't use…. Napkin. Napkin." Christy saw the napkin under Piper's glasses she'd put down and pulled it. The glasses flew all over and smashed. "Ohh. At least there aren't any smudges."

Piper reached over to stop Billie from messing with her glasses. "That's all right. I got it. I got it. I got it."

Billie went over to Christy who had found the tongs and was playing with them. "Yes, these, my friend are salad tongs. You kind of dig in there and pull the salad out. Don't use your fingers."

The doorbell rang and Buffy held her hands up. "I got it."

"Those are probably the tables." Piper said, following Buffy. Buffy picked up one of the vases of flowers and headed for the door. Christy, meanwhile, had found the wine opener and was playing with it while Billie watched her. Buffy opened the door and Piper started calling out directions. "Ok, uh, Rick, you can just put those on the…."

"Piper Halliwell?"

Piper turned and saw two officers standing at the door. "Yes? Is there a problem?" Buffy set the vase of flowers down on a stand and turned to watch.

"We just wanted to make sure you're all right. Can we, uh, come in?"

"Uh, why wouldn't I be all right?"

The officer stepped into the house. "Have you noticed any suspicious activity lately around your home?"

"What is this about exactly?" Buffy asked, stepping forward.

"We got word there might be an attempt on your life." The second officer said.

"What? By who?" Piper asked.

"You, uh…. you've come across them before." The first officer said.  
"'Them'?"

"Who are you guys?" Buffy said. Her spider senses were tingling.

Paige came down the stairs carrying the phone in one hand and ranting all the way down. "Ugh! Can someone please tell me if it is normal to argue with somebody about whether you should eat before or after you buy wedding bands?"

"Hey, who are they?" Billie asked.

"Look. This is a friendly visit." The first "officer" said. "We're just here to warn you that there are…. beings who you thought you dealt with, but haven't."

"Beings? Wait a second." Piper said.

"They're demons!" Christy cried.

"The Triad's back! Beware!" The first demon cried as the second demon hurled a fireball at Piper. Buffy waved her hand and deflected it, causing it to hit the vase of flowers she'd just put on the stand.

Piper waved her hands at the first demon, but he dove to avoid the blast. The second demon threw another fireball at Billie and Christy who both ducked. The fireball hit the heart-shaped wreath centerpiece and it burst into flames.

Paige grabbed Christy. "Gotta get you out of here!"

"Wait." Christy said. The second demon had another fireball and pulled back to throw it when Christy rubbed both her temples and the demon caught fire and exploded.

"Sweet!" Billie said.

The first demon shimmered out quickly before Piper could blow him up. Buffy helped Piper to her feet. "Did he just say 'Triad'?" Piper cried.

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen discussing what had happened. Angel had orbed in when he'd sensed they were in danger and was now standing behind Buffy's chair massaging her neck.

"I don't know I didn't recognize him." Christy said. "I just got a hit they were demons."

"Gotta love that telepathy." Billie said.

"I sensed they were demons just before Christy called it out." Buffy said.

"It's too bad your powers just won't tell us what they want." Paige said.

"Well, they don't want Christy, thank God." Billie said.

"I think they were coming to tell us about the Triad." Buffy said.

"Who are supposedly dead." Piper said. "We thought Cole vanquished them years ago."

"Are they dangerous?" Christy asked.

"Very." Piper and Buffy said.

"I'm not really understanding, though." Paige said. "Why would demons come to warn us about other demons? Yeah, I probably should just go check the Book…."

Paige started to leave, but Piper stopped her. "No! I can do the research. You need to talk to your fiancé. We have enough firepower down here."

"Don't say the 'F' word."

"Firepower?" Angel asked.

Paige glared at Angel and he snickered back. "Go." Piper ordered.

"Maybe we should call the whole thing off." Paige said. "I mean, everything's so crazy…."

"Don't even think about it!" Piper pointed her finger at Paige. "Listen, the party is on, dude."

Paige pushed Piper's finger down. "Dude…. the house is a mess."

"And what else is new?"

"Ok," Buffy said, looking at Billie and Christy. "You two are coming with me until we know something."

"And you need to go to Henry because I ain't throwing you an engagement party if you ain't engaged." Piper said to Paige.

"Don't threaten me." Paige said.

"Where're we going?" Christy asked.

"Down the street to my house." Buffy said, standing up.

Piper grabbed Buffy's wrist before she could leave. "Hey, where're the pictures?"

"I left them in your room on your dresser along with the DVD."

"She's having a boy." Christy said.

Buffy looked at her. "Thanks for stealing my thunder."

"You can control thunder?"

"It's an expression." Billie said. "It means you told exciting news about her before she could tell it."

"Oh. Sorry."

"It's ok." Buffy shrugged. "Come on. We're leaving."


	124. Chapter 124

Chapter 124

"It's funny." Christy said. "I remember doing this to you when we were little." Billie sat on the couch in Buffy's huge closet that used to be a bedroom and applied Christy's make-up.

"Oh, really?" Billie asked.

"Yeah. Manicure, pedicure, the works. We had fun playing dress up."

"Well, I think I was a little young to remember, but I have to say, I know you lived in a cave and it was terrible, but it did wonders for your complexion."

Buffy finally stopped going through one of her jewelry boxes and stood up holding a necklace. "All right. There you go. Christy, you look so beautiful." She sat down next to Christy and put the necklace on her.

"She's a total babe." Billie agreed.

"You are a total knockout."

Phoebe marched in the room, tossing her purse on the chair by the window. "You are never going to believe what happened!"

"Well hello to you too." Buffy said.

"I was at my apartment and guess who just strolls on in!"

"Santa Claus?"

"Ha ha, very funny. That guy I ran into."

"I thought you didn't notice him."

"Ok, maybe a little. But he had a key to my apartment!"

"What did you do?"

"I kicked him out."

"Ok, blowing that hot guy off once, maybe, but he just landed in your apartment, and you let him leave?" Billie asked.

"You have to admit, that's kind of suspicious. I…. I mean…." She turned to Christy. "You must have got some sort of vibe off him at the café. Did you?"

"No." Christy said. "I thought he was cute." Buffy and Billie nodded their heads in agreement.

"Please. What do you know? You were raised by demons, for God's sake."

"Be nice." Buffy chided.

"All right, whatever." Billie said. "Come on. Let's go try this dress on." Billie stood up and picked up the purple dress hanging on the bar over the three way mirror.

Christy grabbed the dress from Billie. "Excuse me. I think I can dress myself by now." She headed for the bedroom across the hall to change.

Billie sat back down on the sofa next to Buffy. "Well, that's progress. Little snippy, but progress." From Buffy's bedroom, they heard a crash. "Christy." All three of them got up and headed for the bedroom. Buffy opened the door and ran inside just as Angel ran up the stairs. A demon wearing black robes with a right-side-up five-point star in front was holding an unconscious Christy. He shimmered and sank into the floor.

"The Triad." Phoebe said.

"How did this happen? Why couldn't I stop him?" Billie asked. She, Buffy, Angel, and Phoebe had orbed back to the Manor.

"Because you just couldn't." Buffy said. "I couldn't, either. He was in there waiting for her."

"And you're sure it was the Triad?" Piper asked.

"Well, it's not the kind of robe you find at Nordstrom's, you know?" Phoebe said.

"So I don't understand. The guys that kidnapped her fifteen years ago were just front men?" Angel asked.

"Well, it kind of makes sense, especially if she's The Key to the power." Buffy said.

"Which if the Triad gets, we're screwed." Piper added.

"Well, who cares?" Billie said. "All I care about is getting her back before they….."

"They won't hurt her. They need her." Buffy said. "We just need to get her back before they get whatever it is they're after."

"I still don't understand why those demons warned us about them."

"Well, they don't want the Triad taking over any more than we do." Piper said. "They probably thought we would take them out."

"You know, this might be the fight that the Angel of Destiny was talking about." Phoebe said. "And if we win…."

"We could get Leo back."

"Ok. Well, I'm gonna start by checking into that guy that broke into my apartment."

"You really think he's part of this?" Buffy asked.

"Yes!" Phoebe stood up and headed out.

"We're gonna get your sister back, Billie, one way or another." Piper said.

"And Leo, too." Billie added.

Paige walked into the attic. "Hey, there. How's it going?"

"Not good." Piper said. "There's no known way to vanquish them." She had the Book of Shadows open on the table in front of her. Billie was working at the potions table trying to summon Christy.

"Well, that's, um…. really great news. Do you think it's odd that they went after Christy and didn't even try to fight us?"

"No. The Triad thinks she's the key to what they want, and once they get it, we may be obsolete."

Billie rushed through the 'to call a lost witch' spell yet again. Paige glanced at her. "How long has she been doing that?"

"Since we've been up here, and she's working on an enhancing potion to make the spell stronger." Buffy said. She was sitting on the couch calmly watching everything. Angel had orbed up to the Elders to ask about the Triad.

"Hmm. Um…. Billie, the thing is, if that spell hasn't worked by now, it's not gonna work."

Billie hugged herself. She was desperate and scared. "Well, I don't know what else to do. I have to do something."

"We're gonna get her back. Ok?" Paige picks up the scrying crystal. "I'm gonna go scry."

Billie picked up a bowl of ingredients and tossed them into the potions pot. She began the spell again. When she said it for the thirty fourth time, white orb lights floated behind Billie and Christy was back in the attic. She advanced forward, her hands in front of her as if she was going to tear something apart.

Billie turned around. "Christy?"

Christy stopped and looked around. "What…. what happened?"

"It worked!" Billie hugged Christy.

"I was in a cage. Um, I got out, but then they came after me again…. and then I was here."

"What did they want? Did they say?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know. I was scared."

"It's ok. You're safe now." Billie said.

"Well, The Triad is gonna figure out where she is sooner or later." Piper said. "We need to stop them while we have a chance."

"Ok, I'm gonna go get Phoebe." Paige said, orbing out.

"Are you ok?" Buffy asked Christy.

"Yeah. I just need to lie down." Christy said.

Billie put her arm around Christy to lead her out. "Yeah, come on. Let's go."

"No, it's ok. You stay here and help her. I'll be fine." Christy left the attic alone.

Billie was scrying and having no luck. Piper closed the Book of Shadows with no luck at all herself. Buffy was still sitting on the couch with Angel now sitting next to her. Paige and Phoebe orbed in.

"Hey! How'd it go?" Buffy asked. "Was the hot guy a Triad?"

"He's worse. He's a Cupid." Phoebe said.

Buffy laughed. "What?"

"A Cupid. The Elders sent him down here to help me find true love. How insulting is that?"

"Well, maybe they figure they owe you." Angel said.

"Well, I wish they'd help with the Triad first because I have no idea how to vanquish them." Piper said, looking at Angel.

"They didn't even know the Triad was back. They're working on figuring out how to vanquish them."

"Well, what did Cole do?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I don't know." Phoebe said. "He was a really powerful demon. Probably just as powerful as they were. You know what? Cole was my longest relationship. Is that pathetic, or what?"

"It's not pathetic." Buffy said. "Mine is with a vampire, now whitelighter."

"Actually, Phoebe, you might be onto something." Piper said. "Maybe we need a demon to vanquish them."

"Are you kidding?" Billie said. "Where are we gonna find one of those?"

"Well, I don't think we'd need to if we just get the Triads to kill each other…."

"Uh…. how do you propose we do that?" Paige asked.

"I don't know. I'm making this up as I go."

"What if we don't get them all?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't think we need to . If we just kill one, then we weaken the collective."

"Kind of like us." Paige said.

"Exactly."

"It's still dicey." Buffy said.

"Dicey's all we got."

"Well, we better do something fast, or we're not gonna be able to save Christy." Billie said.

"Or Leo, for that matter." Angel said. "If the Triad really is the big threat."

"And we're in for a huge battle." Phoebe said.

"Which means, we need to get the kids out of here." Buffy said, looking at Angel.

"Oh, and I need to go see Henry." Paige said.

"No, no, no." Piper said. "Wait, wait, wait. Can it wait?"

"No, it can't. Look, if something happens to me, I don't want the last thing Henry remembers about us is arguing."

"Well, we don't have a lot of time."

"I need to do this. Sorry."

"Hurry." Paige headed out.

Piper looked at Buffy. "I want you out of here too."

"What? No." Buffy said. "This is part of my destiny too."

"You're pregnant."

"Yeah, pregnant. Not dead. I let you guys push me to the background with Alex because I didn't know what to expect. This time I know what to do. And I'm not missing out. If this is how we get Leo back, then I'm in."

"You're not going to get her to back down." Phoebe said. "She's resolved."

"I wish you two would stop channeling each other." Piper said. "You're supposed to be on my side."

Phoebe shrugged and stood next to Buffy. "Sorry, but she's right. Buffy would never put her child at risk. If it gets bad, she'll know when to get out of there safely."

"Thanks." Buffy said.

"Anytime. And thanks for knocking before you opened the link."

"You're welcome."

"Opened the link?" Angel asked.

"We've been working on our connection since we're starting to channel each other. Now, I'm taking Alex and the boys to Uncle Victor's. Piper, you want to help me get them ready?"

Phoebe joined everyone in the attic where Billie was scrying on the computer. "Anything?"

"Well, we think they're at Magic School." Billie said. "We found a very high concentration of energy there."

"So that means we have to fight them there?"

"Does it really matter where we fight them?" Paige asked.

"Ok, let's go over the plan again." Piper said.

"Divide and conquer." Buffy said.

"So that Buffy and I can draw out their power…." Phoebe said.

"And I will freeze one of them." Piper said.

"They are upper level demons, so they won't freeze for long." Angel reminded them.

"They only have to stay frozen long enough for me to orb the last one into position."

"You know, do you guys think I should go with you?" Billie asked. "I mean, my projection power could really help."

"No, you have to stay here and protect your sister." Buffy said. She looked at Angel. "And you have to call the Elders if we don't come back."

"Don't say that." Angel said. "You're coming back."

"Ready?" Piper asked.

"Nope, but let's do it anyway." Paige said.

They moved to the center of the attic and Paige orbed them to Magic School. They were crouched down behind a couch in the Great Hall where the Triad was. They were standing in a circle with their hands above their heads and a glowing giant energy ball levitated above them.

"Ok, how are we supposed to divide and conquer that?" Phoebe asked.

"Maybe we should try to blast 'em while they're distracted." Paige said.

"I don't think it'll even faze them." Buffy said. "I'll distract 'em." She stood up and moved aside. One of the Triad turned and saw her.

"Too late." Piper said as he formed a fireball and threw it at them. She raised her hands to blast it and the fireball exploded just in front of them. The force of the blast, pushed all four of them back against the wall and Buffy into the hallway. "Buffy?"

"Go!" Buffy called. Phoebe got to her feet and ran down the hallway with Buffy just as another Triad threw his fireball at them. Buffy waved her hand and the fireball hit the wall. She grabbed Phoebe's hand and they turned down the hallway.

The first Triad that threw a fireball took off after them. "I've got her!"

"No! We're stronger together!" The second Triad yelled.

Buffy and Phoebe ducked into a room too quick for the Triad to see. "You've gotten faster." Phoebe said.

"Practice." Buffy said, peeking through the crack in the door.

"Are you ok?"

"Yeah. He's kicking like crazy. I think he's excited about all of this."

Phoebe laughed quietly. "Well, his parents are pretty good at it. I think he will be too."

"Oh!" Buffy ducked away from the door as the Triad ran back towards the Great Hall. "Let's go!" She opened the door and they headed back down the hall. They made it in time to see the third Triad explode.

"Looking for us?" Phoebe asked. The Triad turned and looked at them, a smile on his face. Just then, Piper and Paige stepped out into the hallway, trapping the Triad. His smile faded and then he vanished down into the floor.

"Pft!" Buffy said. "What a coward! Fleeing instead of fighting."

"You guys ok?" Paige asked.

"Yeah."

"I can't believe we did it." Phoebe said.

"Well, two out of three." Piper said.

"Well, that's all we needed, right? That means we won." Paige said.

"Well, if we won, where's Leo? I mean, he should be here. I don't understand what went wrong."

"Maybe nothing." Phoebe said.

"Maybe there's a bigger threat out there." Buffy added.

"Let's go home." Paige said. They orbed back into the main hallway at the Manor.

"I don't understand." Piper said. "What could possibly be a bigger threat than the Triad?"

Billie and Christy walked down the stairs with Angel right behind them. "Is everything ok?" Christy asked.

"Well, yeah." Phoebe said. "We got the Triad…."

"But we do think that there's a bigger threat out there." Buffy finished.

"Did they say that?" Christy asked.

"No. They didn't have to. Leo would be here." Piper said.

"I'm so sorry, Piper." Billie said.

"You know, you're gonna get Leo back." Paige said.

"Well, in the meantime, we have an engagement to celebrate." Piper said.

"Oh. Well…. I've been thinking about that, actually. And I will do it on one condition. If we can just turn it into a wedding instead."

There was a moment of stunned silence and then Piper said, "Well, absolutely. Although, it is kind of short notice. I might need some magical assistance."

"We'll do it just like our wedding." Buffy said, taking Angel's hand.

Paige nodded. "Exactly."

"Let's do it." Phoebe said.

Paige was sitting at her vanity applying her make-up when Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper walked in. They were dressed in matching dresses. "Are you nervous?" Phoebe asked.

"Surprisingly, no." Paige said.

"You're not ready." Buffy said.

Paige took a deep breath. "I…. am just kind of stunned this is happening."

"Well, believe it." Phoebe said.

"Sure you don't want to wear my dress?" Piper asked.

"Yeah. Yeah, I am." Paige said.

"All right. Let's go conjure you a very special dress."

Paige grabbed Buffy's hand before she left. "Hey, stay for a minute."

"Ok." Buffy said.

"I wanted to ask if you'd be my matron of honor."

"Oh, Paige….."

"I know we haven't been the closest out of the four of us…. I mean, we weren't twins in a past life…. I don't have kids to bond over…. But you're not only my sister…. You're one of my best friends."

"Oh, Paige…." Buffy grabbed a tissue and blotted at her eyes.

"Will you be my matron of honor?"

"Oh, Paige! Of course I will." Buffy hugged Paige tightly. "I have something I've been meaning to ask you, too, but I could never get to it because one thing after another just kept popping up."

"Ask me anything."

"Paige, will you be my son's godmother?"

"Of course I will!" Paige jumped up and hugged Buffy tightly. "Oh, of course I will."

"What did we miss?" Phoebe asked, walking back in with two bridal magazines.

"I'm the matron of honor!" Buffy said as Paige said, "I'm the godmother!" They laughed, both of them crying and blotting their eyes.

"Well, apparently we missed a lot." Piper said.

"Here." Phoebe handed Paige the magazines. "Pick your dress, Mrs. Mitchell."

The music started and Buffy walked in by herself. Angel was standing up front with Henry, Wyatt, and a friend of Henry's who was the best man. Behind Buffy, Piper and Phoebe walked in together and Piper was carrying Chris.

"I wish Leo was here." Phoebe said.

"He is." Piper said.

As they both squeezed through the aisle, Phoebe bumped into the tall man seated just there. "Oh! Sorry." She turned and saw that it was Coop dressed for a wedding and wearing a mischievous smile. "How's it going?"

"Did someone invite you here?" Phoebe asked.

"What, are you kidding me? I love weddings."

Phoebe and Piper took their positions at the front beside Buffy and the music started to play. Paige descended the stairway and paused on the last leg as she took a deep breath. She headed down the stairs in her newly conjured gown and not wearing a veil. The guests rose as Paige turned to the aisle. Buffy watched Henry watch Paige and it brought tears to her eyes. Paige smiled and walked down the aisle toward Henry. She handed her bouquet to Buffy as she took her position next to Henry and the guests sat down.

"You look beautiful." Henry said.

"And you look very handsome." Paige said.

The Minister started the ceremony. "Dearly beloved, we are gathered here today to join Henry and Paige in holy matrimony in the presence of family and friends. The union of two lives as one is a sacred bond, both solemn and joyful, embracing all that you are and all that you will be. On this day of your marriage, know that everything that we love deeply becomes part of us. The trick is learning to receive this love with as much understanding as you give it, and knowing this, you can begin a life together with an open mind and heart."


	125. Chapter 125

Chapter 125

Buffy opened her front door with groceries in her arms and Wyatt and Alex walking along beside her. "Be careful, guys."

"Hey, there." Paige said.

Buffy jumped and almost dropped her groceries. "Paige!"

"Sorry. Sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. What took you so long?"

"I was grocery shopping with a three year old and a two year old." Buffy headed for the kitchen. "Don't make a mess." She called to the kids. "Why? What are you doing here?"

"Oh, you know. Just in the neighborhood. Thought I'd drop by, see how you're doing. How go the battles?"

"The battles?"

"Yeah, you know, ultimate power, ultimate threat. Ultimate stuff. Need any help?"

"You just got back from your honeymoon and you want to talk about demons?" Buffy set the bags on the counter.

"Well, it is what we do, isn't it? You're giving me a very suspicious look. You know what? You're a very suspicious person."

"And you're avoiding the question."

"I am not." Buffy paused from putting her groceries up to send a glare at Paige. "All right, fine, maybe I am. But it doesn't mean I don't want to help out of the goodness of my own heart."

"You need to talk to Henry."

"About what? About demons?"

"No, about whatever it is you came here to talk to me about that you should be talking to him about."

"I can't tell him about it cause it's just going to hurt his feelings."

"That's not a good enough reason."

"The problem is, is that it's not Henry's fault at all, ok? He's amazing. I love him."

"I can see why you're avoiding him."

"See the thing is, it took me so long to forge an identity separate of Piper and Phoebe and you. I'm just…. I guess I'm kind of afraid of losing myself in the marriage."

"So you're burying yourself in demons?"

"It could work for me."

"I don't approve of the way you're handling this. Anyway, Piper thinks she has a lead."

"Oh really?"

"If the Noxon demons killed Christy and Billie's parents, somebody else had to send them to do it."

"Because they were originally after the magic school kids, right?"

"Right. So why change their MO? Unless somebody told them to. Whoever it is that's after the key to the ultimate power."

"Do you think they were really after Christy?"

"Piper says absolutely, which means the Noxons know who's behind it all."

"And maybe who we'll have to fight to get Leo back. So, uh, what's the plan?"

"I'm going to finish putting these groceries up before they spoil. I don't want my mom to come down for her visit and eat rotten food."

"Don't you mean cook?"

Buffy stuck her tongue out at Paige. "I mean eat because Angel and I are cooking for her. And then I'm going over to the Manor to help Piper find that genetic freak of a demon and tell him we're going to do to him what we did to his friend unless he talks."

"What can I do besides ponder the state of my marriage?"

Buffy closed a cabinet door and turned to look at Paige. "You can to go down to the underworld and see if you can find him."

"Done."

"Be careful."

Paige orbed out.

Piper and Buffy were putting a number of potion vials in carrying packs when Paige orbed in. "Hey, ok, so I found the Noxon, but we better hurry in case he moves."

"Well, uh, you might want to call Henry first." Piper said. "He's called three times since you left."

"Yeah, he called my cell, you know, left a message, but I'll just get him when I come back."

"So now you're avoiding his phone calls?" Buffy asked. "Paige."

"No, I'm not avoiding him, but I told you I don't really know what to say to him yet. And besides, it's not his problem; it's mine."

"Well, it is his problem if you're not taking his calls."

"Do you want to let this demon get away, or what?"

"Ok, fine. Just let my years of marriage experience go to waste."

"Years! Ok, it hasn't even been _one_ year!"

"Well, we were together a long time before that. Can we go now? Here." Buffy handed a bag of potions to Paige.

Christy walked into the attic just then. "Go where?"

"Oh, hey, Christy. How you doing?" Paige asked.

"I'm not doing very well."

"Where's Billie?" Buffy asked.

"She's back at her dorm room. She's resting."

"That's weird." Piper said. "Phoebe just called and said she was at her apartment."

"I see. So where are you on finding the demon you let kill my parents?"

"Whoa, hang on. We didn't let anybody kill…."

"Uh, actually we found him, but if we don't want to lose him we need to go right now." Paige interrupted.

"All right." Christy said. "Well, then, I'm going, but I get to be the one who sends his sorry ass to the astral plane."

"Actually, uh, no. We don't want to vanquish him. We need to question him because it's more important to find out who put him up to this."

"Who cares? Who wants to talk to him? I want him dead."

"Well, I understand that, but we can't ignore the fact that this could be connected to something else, like saving Leo." Piper said.

"So that's what this is about. Saving your husband."

"Well, yeah, but…."

"If we don't vanquish him, he could escape."

"Well, I realize that, but we need to get some information out of him first. Let's go." Paige started orbing out. Mid-orb, Christy stepped forward, put her hand on theirs, and hitched a ride.

Paige pulled her hands away from Christy. "What are you doing?"

"I'm not going to let you take this away from me." Christy said.

"You shouldn't even be here." Buffy said. "The demons are after you."

"I don't care."

"Look, stop it. We're not going to let him get away. You need to just back off."

The demon was sitting on the ground, his back against a rock. A tentacle was wrapped around his ankle. "Ok, listen." Piper said. "You have one chance and one chance only to tell me who sent you and why."

"I don't know what you're talking about." The demon said.

"The hell you don't." Piper threw a potion and hit Pator in the chest. The vial exploded and the demon screamed as he started burning. The tentacle let go of the demon's ankle and slunk back into the hole.

"Say the spell." Christy demanded.

"No."

"Say it!"

"Stop it!" Paige said.

Christy grabbed the spell from Paige and pushed her hard. Paige fell head-first against the cave wall. Buffy moved faster than Christy could blink and grabbed the paper back. Christy pressed her fingers against her temples and burnt Buffy's hand, making her drop the paper with a yelp.

Christy grabbed the spell off the ground and read, "Demon of fire, demon of pain, I banish you to the astral…." Before she could finish, Piper blasted Christy to stop her, hitting her in the arm. Christy hit the cave wall and fell to the ground as the demon regenerated.

Piper helped Paige up as Buffy made her way over, holding her badly burnt hand. Another demon shimmered into the cave next to the first demon. "Looks like you were telling the truth." He said before shimmering them both out.

"Damn it." Piper sighed.

"Are you ok?" Paige asked, looking at Buffy's hand.

"Yeah, uh, it's not me I'm worried about." Buffy said as Christy got to her feet and tenderly clutched her injured arm. Anger and hatred burned in her eyes as she glared back at them. Before anyone could say anything, Buffy's hand started healing itself. "What the…."

"How'd you do that?" Paige asked.

"I didn't!"

"Well then how…."

"The baby." Piper said. Paige and Buffy looked at her like she was crazy. "Well, it makes sense! Wyatt's half whitelighter and he could heal me. Your baby's half whitelighter, too."  
"But Wyatt's a powerful kid. He was destined to be powerful."

"Yeah, well you're not so shabby in the power department either." Paige pointed out.

Paige orbed them back to the Manor. As soon as they solidified, Christy stepped away from them saying, "I knew he would get away!"

"Christy, just let me heal you, ok?" Paige said.

"Right, after she just tried to kill me?"

"I didn't try to kill you. It was an accident." Piper said.

"That was no accident."

"Ok, listen. You're right, it wasn't, but I didn't mean to hurt you, ok? I just couldn't let you vanquish him."

"Well, now he got away."

"Look, Christy, you didn't leave me a choice, ok? This is my husband, and that demon…."

"Killed my parents. Why am I even explaining this to you? It's not like you care."

"Of course we care." Buffy said. "We care about you, and we care about Billie. Billie's been like a sister to us."

"Well, Billie's not your sister."

Paige took a step forward. "Christy, please…."

Christy brushed past them on her way to the door. "Look, just stay away from me. And stay away from Billie." She left, slamming the door behind her.

"Well, that went swimmingly."

"There was nothing else I could do. Right?" Piper asked.

"No, you did what you had to do." Buffy said.

"Still, I don't expect her to understand. She doesn't know Leo, and she barely knows us, and all she wants is revenge."

"Can you blame her?" Paige asked.

"No, but it doesn't mean anything. We still have to find the Noxon again."

"We'll just figure out who took him." Buffy said.

"Ok, I'll check the Book."

Buffy's cell phone rang. "It's Phoebe. I'll fill her in."

"You know where to find me." Piper and Paige headed for the attic.

"Hey." Buffy said.

"Any luck with Leo?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh, no, but we did manage successfully to get Christy to hate us."

"What? How?"

"Well, we were going after the…." Buffy's other line beeped. "Hold on a second, ok?" She switched lines. "Hello."

"Buffy? Are you ok?" Angel asked.

"Hey sweetie. Yeah, I'm fine."

"I sensed you were hurt."

"Yeah, Christy burned me."

"What!"

"Can you hold on a second?" She switched back to Phoebe. "Hey, that's Angel."

"Ok, so quick, what happened?" Phoebe said.

"Well, Christy wanted to vanquish the Noxon, but we needed to talk to him…."

"Wait, you found the Noxon?"

"Kinda, sorta. He got away, but that was only after… Ah!" Angel had orbed in in front of Buffy, catching her off guard.

"Are you ok?" Phoebe called.

"Yeah, my husband just tried to give me a heart attack." Buffy sighed. "Well, at least I can fill you both in at the same time."

"Ok."

"Christy wanted to vanquish the Noxon, but we needed to talk to him. She pushed Paige and burned my hand to get the spell from me and then Piper blasted her to stop her and then some _other_ demon showed up and took the Noxon right out from under us. And my son is half whitelighter."

"How do you know?"

"Because he healed me from the womb. Like Wyatt did."

"Well, that makes sense. Angel's a whitelighter and you're a witch slash Slayer."

Buffy sighed. "Yeah, but powers in the womb? That's pretty powerful."

"So are you. Listen, everything's going to be ok. I'll let Billie know what's happened when she wakes up. It might be a lot for her to handle right now, but she needs to know."

"Yeah, ok. I'll talk to you later, Phoebs." Buffy hung up and looked up at Angel.

"Our son healed you?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"What does that mean?"

"It means that he's gonna be pretty powerful. Like Wyatt."

"What about Alex?"

"She hasn't got her powers yet, but something tells me she's going to be a pretty powerful witch all on her own."

"Are you ok with this?"

Buffy sighed again. "I have to be. I mean, this is what our family does, right? We don't have much of a choice in the matter."


	126. Chapter 126

Chapter 126

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe were in the kitchen at the Manor. Angel had gone back up to LA to help Doyle and Cordy with a case. Christy had come and taken Billie away from Phoebe's apartment, so Phoebe had come to the Manor. They were all completely surprised when Henry orbed in. "Whoa." He looked around, finding himself suddenly in the kitchen.

"Whoa yourself. How'd you do that?" Buffy asked.

"Hold it a second. I think it'll be easier if I just talk to them myself, honey." Henry said, looking up.

"'Honey'? Are you ok?" Phoebe asked.

"Uh…. yeah. I'm…. I'm fine."

"Why are you talking to yourself?" Buffy asked.

"No, I'm not." Henry pointed to his head. "Uh…. Paige is in my head. Please. I can handle this, Paige." After a moment, he looked at Phoebe. "Coop did it."

"Coop did it." Phoebe slipped off her perch on the counter. "Of course he did. Great."

"Well, you need to get him to undo it because we need the Power of Three to find the Noxon." Piper said.

"Um…. Paige thinks that she…." He rubbed his head. "Headache…. Paige thinks that she might be able to do it from where she is." They heard the front door open and close.

"Billie." Buffy said. They all got up and went out to meet her.

"We need to talk." Billie said.

"I know. I'm sorry about your sister, but…." Piper paused. "How are you?"

"How am I? I'm not so good. How could you attack my sister?"

"She didn't leave me much of a choice. She was going to vanquish the demon."

"So you just thought you'd vanquish her, too?"

"No, I didn't…."

"Look, we know how you feel, but revenge is not the only thing right now."

"That's what Christy said. Look, I want to find Leo, too. I really, really do. But not at the expense of her."

"Ok, well, then she needs to understand that it can't all be about what she wants. And she can't go around burning people to get it, either."

"Burning people? What are you talking about?"

"Sorry, Billie, but Christy burned my hand to get the spell away." Buffy said.

"Your hand looks fine."

"That's because my son healed it."

"Your son isn't even born yet."

"Yeah, well…. Tell that to him."

"Ok, look, don't you want to figure out who killed your parents?" Phoebe asked.

"Yes, I do, but that's not what you care about." Billie said. "All you guys care about is finding Leo. You don't care about me." Billie grabbed the potions pack off the side table, opened it, and took the vials out.

"Billie, what are you doing?" Piper asked.

"I'm going to vanquish the Noxon."

"No, you're not."

"What, are you going to blow me up, too?"

"Nobody's blowing anyone up here." Phoebe said.

"That didn't stop her last time."

"Vial." The vials orbed out of Billie's hands and into Henry's. "That was cool." Billie telekinetically grabbed the vials from Henry's hands and they flew back into Billie's palm. She wiggled the vials smugly in their faces, turned, and left.

"Billie! You come back here!" Piper called.

Ignoring her, Billie left, closing the door behind her. "Now what do we do?" Phoebe asked.

"We gotta find that demon before they do." Buffy said.

"Ancient powers, we summon thee. We, the power of three," Piper, Phoebe, and Henry were holding hands around the bubbling potions pot in the attic. "And seek your help in finding the demon who is in hiding." They waited a beat, but nothing happened.

"Nothing." Piper said. They let go of each other's hands.

"I'm sorry, guys. I think it's my fault. Uh, Paige thinks that maybe she should try…."

"Forget it." Piper said. "We need to get her out of there." Piper looked at Phoebe. "Call him."

"Do I have to?" Phoebe groaned. Piper nodded emphatically. "Ok. Cupid! Look, I know you're out there…. watching everything I do. Coop?"

Coop flashed in right behind Phoebe. He was carrying a box of chocolates and reciting from a piece of paper, surprising her so much that she whacked him on his arm. "'Oh, lift me from the grass. I fail. I die. Let thy love in kisses rain on my lips.'"

"What are you doing?"

"I'm just reciting what Michael wrote. He left this for you at the door." Coop gave the box and note to Phoebe.

"Really?"

"Yeah, never mind that." Piper said. "We need…."

Phoebe held out a finger to stop Piper from interrupting and continued reading from the note. "'My heart beats loud and fast. Oh, press it to thine own again, where it shall break at last.' Michael didn't write this."

"Yeah, you're right. I wrote it, you know, a couple hundred years ago or so. Some of my best work." Coop smiled.

"Ahem!" Buffy said, gesturing to a waiting Henry.

"Yeah, ok." Phoebe said. "Listen, um, we need your help. You gotta get Paige out of Henry."

"Uh, yeah, but are you sure they've worked through their issues?" Coop asked.

"Yes, they have." Henry said.

"All right." Coop waved his hand and his cupid's ring glowed. Henry's face glowed with a light that came out of him and materialized into Paige.

"Oh, dear." She looked at Henry. "Hey."

"Hey. You ok?" Henry asked.

"I'm ok."

"Good."

"But, um, you should probably go."

"Ok. Good luck." Henry waved and walked out.

"Well, you should probably go, too." Phoebe said to Coop.

"What do you mean? But what about love?" Coop asked.

"Ugghh! Go!" Piper groaned.

"I mean…. really." Phoebe said.

"Oh, you got truffles!" Paige said.

"Yes, I did." Phoebe handed them to Buffy.

"Ooh, truffles." Buffy smiled and opened the box as Phoebe, Piper, and Paige held hands over the potions pot and recited the spell again.

"Ancient powers, we summon thee. We, the Power of Three, and seek your help in finding the demon who is in hiding."

The potions pot flared blue and showed the Noxon in the Underworld in the same cave they'd originally found him in. "Let's go." Piper said. She looked at Buffy and Buffy joined the group as they orbed down the the Underworld. The Noxon saw them and took off running. The girls gave chase and Buffy waved her hand, sending the Noxon flying over a rock. Piper froze him in mid-air.

"Nice!" Paige said

Piper unfroze Pator's face and he looked around. "What happened? What's going on?" He asked.

"You have exactly five seconds to live unless you tell us who you're working for." Piper said.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

"Five…."

"Four…." Phoebe said.

"Three…" Paige said.

"Two…." Buffy said, pulling her arm back to throw the potion in her hand.

"All right! All right! I'll talk." The Noxon cried.

Billie and Christy walked into the cave. "Not so fast." Billie said. "Leave him alone. He's ours."

"'Ours'?" Buffy said. "Billie, we're all on the same side here."

"Are we?"

"We're not going to let you vanquish him." Piper said.

"Works for me." The Noxon said.

"And we're not going to let you take him alive, either." Christy said.

"This is absurd." Paige said. "What are you doing? Why are you twisting what we're all about?"

"She's not twisting anything." Billie said. She pointed at Piper. "And she's the one that tore me away from protecting my parents so she wouldn't bother the two of you."

"Billie, I swear if I knew what would happen…." Piper started.

"You would have used me the same way to get what you wanted. And I'm sick of being used." Billie threw her vial, but Piper blasted it mid-arc. Buffy and Phoebe ducked to avoid the flames which hit the Noxon, unfreezing him. "No!" She suddenly looked at Christy.

"Uh, what's going on?" Paige asked.

Christy took hold of Billie's hand and the two linked together. Both of them closed their eyes and concentrated. The Noxon started to burn. He grabbed his head and screamed before he exploded. The force of the explosion rippled through the cave, knocking Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige off their feet. Billie opened her eyes and gasped as Christy smiled with triumph. Billie dropped a vial and they vanished.

Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige got to their feet. "Ok. Did they just vanquish a demon that can't be vanquished?" Buffy asked.

"What does that mean?" Phoebe asked.

"I think that means we just found the ultimate power." Piper said.

Alex, Wyatt, and Chris were playing in the conservatory. Buffy and Piper sat on the side, watching them. Angel walked in behind them carrying a tray with three glasses of sweet iced tea on it. "Hey. It's going to be ok, you know." Angel said, handing them their glasses and sitting down next to Buffy.

"Oh, yeah? I'm not so sure." Piper said. "It was right there in front of us the entire time and we didn't see it."

"How were we supposed to see it? It's Billie. She's one of us." Buffy said.

"Still, with Christy and their powers, the Triad…. we just missed it."

"Missed what exactly?" Angel asked.

"To stop them."

"No. No, Piper. You can't vanquish them. They're not demons. They're people."

"People the Triad targeted to take us out."

"You don't know that for sure."

"Don't I? Think about it. It makes complete sense."

"I can't give up on Billie." Buffy said. "I'm not going to give up on Billie. Not yet. She's been through so much. Maybe she'll come around."

"What about Christy?"

Buffy snorted. "The girl was raised by demons for 15 years. That may be good for your complexion, but not your sanity…. Or your view of good and evil. What's good to her is probably evil to us. I'm sorry, Angel, but if she proves to be too much on the side of demons, then I'm not distinguishing. I'll vanquish her faster than a vampire can blink. My spider senses tingled about her from the moment Billie brought her back."

"You didn't say anything." Piper said.

"I did to Angel, but I didn't want to worry anyone. Plus I figured it was just the fact that she'd been raised by demons as a scared little girl. That girl that's turning Billie against us is not what I would call scared."

Piper nodded. "I'm with you."

"Now we just have to get Paige and Phoebe to see it our way."

"Phoebe shouldn't be too hard to convince if you're on the bandwagon."

"Not so. She doesn't believe that Billie…. or Christy for that matter…. Could be capable of being evil. Phoebe's going to take some convincing and I won't make her decide by channeling my feelings into her."

Piper sighed. "Fine, be that way."

"Hey, you guys are the ones that taught me not to play like that. I've got powers of my own now and I'm sticking to the rules on this one. They're in place for a reason."

"You sound like Prue."

Buffy made a face. "Oh! Don't say that!" She laughed slightly. "I miss her."

"I do too." Piper smiled sadly. "I wish she were here now. She'd know exactly what to do." Buffy nodded her agreement.


	127. Chapter 127

Chapter 127

Piper put a vase of flowers on the dining room table as Phoebe followed her around. "Piper, it's not that simple."

"What do you mean it's not that simple?" Piper retorted. "They vanquished the unvanquishable!"

"Yeah, that just makes them powerful though, not bad."

"Don't be so naive. Christy was raised by the Triad…. who wanted us dead, remember?"

"I understand that. But that doesn't mean that Billie and Christy want us dead."

"They're the ultimate power. They were chosen to take us out, don't you see that?"

"No, actually, I don't . Look, I mean, yeah, it's a possibility, but we're not there yet."

"Aren't we?"

Paige orbed in with Buffy in tow. "Witch, whitelighter, wife…. I give up, how do I juggle all this?"

"I told you, you just do!" Buffy said. She looked at Phoebe and Piper. "What are we arguing about?"

"The ultimate power, what else?" Piper said.

"Her name is Billie." Phoebe said. "And I think we should help her not hurt her."

"Ok. What if she tries to hurt us first? Then, what?"

"Ding, ding!" Paige called. "Back to your corners. Here is the deal. This is difficult for us, right? So, we should probably try to be nice to each other. Especially hard on me. Jeez! She's been my charge."

"So you're saying, what? That you side with Phoebe?"

"No, I didn't say that at all. All I'm saying is it's messing with all of our lives. You with P3 and the boys." Paige looked at Phoebe. "You with work, Cupid."

"Michael." Phoebe said.

Paige rolled her eyes and looked at Buffy. "You with your little orbing bundle of joy. And me, lucky little me, I am stuck with another future whitelighter. Which means I don't even get to see my new husband."

"Well, at least you have a husband." Piper said. "I'm still trying to get mine back."

"And I'm still trying to find a husband, but that doesn't mean that we can't…." Phoebe said.

"What?" Piper cut Phoebe off when she noticed Paige's face.

"Oh, dear, she's in trouble! Is this ever gonna end?" Paige orbed out.

Piper headed for the stairs and started climbing. "I'm going go try to make a potion."

"To do what?" Phoebe called.

"What do you think?"

"Ok, but I just don't think I'm ready for this, right now."

"You better get ready!"

Phoebe looked at Buffy. Buffy just shrugged. "She's right, you know. It's going to come down to them versus us."

"It doesn't have to." Phoebe said.

"You're right. But with Christy hell bent on turning Billie against us and destroying this family…. It's going to."

Paige walked into the attic just after Piper had thrown a potion and exploded the mannequin. "Hey, there. What did that mannequin ever do to you?"

"Cute." Piper said.

"Awe, poor thing."

Piper looked at the potions pot and tossed in another ingredient. "What're you doing?"

"Making a Power of Three potion."

"Oh, for what?" Piper leveled Paige a look and Paige looked at Buffy sitting on the couch for confirmation. The petite blonde shrugged and looked at Paige apologetically. "Oh, Piper."

"Look, sooner or later you two are gonna realize that is us or them, and I for one would like to be ready."

"Look, you can't just vanquish Billie and Christy. For one thing, you know, it's, uh…. illegal."

"Is that the best you got?"

"Well, I think that's a pretty valid point. Look, we know you wanna get Leo back…."

"You know what? I'm tired of everybody using that against me, like it diminishes my credibility or something. Because it doesn't."

"Well, you must admit it's probably clouding your judgment just a little bit."

"That sounds more like something Phoebe would say." Buffy said.

"Yeah, she just did."

"What do you mean, she just did? When did she say that exactly?" Piper asked.

"On the phone, a few minutes ago."

"Oh, I see. She's taking your calls, but she's not taking my calls. Where is she?"

"She's at home." With a potions vial in her hand, Piper headed for the door. "Where are you going?"

"To find out what her problem is." Piper grabbed Buffy's hand on the way, pulling her to her feet and out the door with her.

"Why am I going?" Buffy asked.

"Because if she doesn't talk, you can read her and tell me what her problem is."

Buffy sighed. "Piper, she's not exactly a book."

"You two are connected. You can tell me what she's feeling. You've always been able to."

"You know what her problem is."

"And she needs to get over it. This is going to happen."

"Yes, it is. But just like with the Avatars and Leo, you have to let the truth come to her gradually. She has to find the truth herself."

"We don't have time for that."

"Who says? I mean, they're not exactly attacking right now this instant."

"No, but the longer we take to finally get to the truth of the matter, the more powerful and united those two grow and they could actually have a chance to take us out. You saw what they did to the Noxon."

"Not gonna happen. We won't let it."

"We might not have a choice if Phoebe and Paige don't come around to our way of seeing this." Piper continued out the door with Buffy following behind her.

Buffy opened the door to Phoebe's apartment, finding it unlocked, and stuck her head in. "Phoebs?"

"You said we were alone!" Billie cried.

"Hello! We were alone." Phoebe said. She turned to first Buffy, then Piper. "What're you doing here?"

Piper had her hands behind her back as she stepped into the loft. "Wondering what she's doing here." Billie backed away as Buffy and Piper entered the room.

"We're just having a little chat." Phoebe said.

"Good. Great. We're listening."

"Stay away from my sister!" Billie whirled around and suddenly, tensions increased as Christy stepped into the room through the open balcony doors.

"Ok, how did you get in?" Phoebe said.

Christy held up a potions vial. "The same way we're leaving." Billie went to stand next to Christy. "Let's go."

"Ok, can't we just talk about this, please?" Phoebe asked.

"There's nothing to talk about."

"All right then." Piper threw the first vial at Christy.

"Don't, Piper!" Phoebe cried. Christy looked at the vial and it exploded mid-air. The force of the explosion knocked Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper off their feet. Piper turned to get up, her hands ready to blast back, but Phoebe stopped her. "No, Piper!"

Christy turned and looked at Billie. "Do you need any more proof?" She threw the vial and they vanished.

Piper turned and looked at Phoebe. "Do you?"

Angel orbed in and found the girls on their backsides on the floor. "What happened?"

"Piper tried to kill Billie and Christy!" Phoebe said as Piper said, "Billie and Christy is what happened."

Angel helped all three of them to their feet. "Explain." They started to talk at the same time, but he held his hands up. "Ah, ah! One at a time. Phoebe first."

"I was trying to talk to Billie, find out what was going through her head, and then Buffy and Piper showed up and tried to kill them!" Phoebe said.

Angel looked at Piper and Buffy. "We didn't try to kill them." Piper said.

"The potion was a stun potion." Buffy said.

"It was meant to scare them, not kill them."

"But Christy turned the stun potion into a full on vanquish in a big ol' fireball potion. It could've killed us."

"Yeah, I sensed that." Angel said. "That's why I orbed in. Are you guys ok?"

"Yeah." Buffy took Angel's offered hand and he pulled her into his side, wrapping a protective arm around her.

"I'm really going to have to start keeping a better eye on you four. Really, I am."

"Can we just go back to the Manor?" Piper said. She looked at Phoebe. "You're coming too."

The front door opened and Buffy, Phoebe, and Piper walked in, mid-argument. "Piper, why didn't you just freeze them?" Phoebe asked.

"Because it wouldn't have worked." Piper said.  
"Ok, so, it's better to just start a war?"

"Oh, stop, it was one mousy potion. I just meant to scare them. I wasn't gonna take them out with that."

"Take them out? Why don't you say what you really mean? Kill them."

"Girls, be nice." Paige called from the living room where she was sitting with a young girl.

"What were you even doing there?" Phoebe asked, ignoring Paige.

"Why were you hiding it from me?" Piper snapped back.

"Hey, a little help here, please?" Paige said. The girl was trying to leave and Piper turned and froze her.

"There," Piper said to Phoebe. "I froze somebody. Happy?"

"Alright, you two…. Three. This is ridiculous. We're not gonna solve anything by fighting with each other."

"Since when did you become the big sister?" Piper asked.

"Since you stopped acting like one."

"Hah!" Phoebe said.

"And you…." Paige turned on Phoebe. "What's this whole sneaking around behind our backs thing? It's not what we need right now. It's not making our lives any easier."

"Hah!" Piper cried.

"You know what, I'm really glad I went because I actually learned something." Phoebe said.

"Like what? That they would like to kill us?" Buffy asked.

"No, that just in their twisted reality, they think that we're the bad guys."

"It's not a twisted reality, it's a Triad reality. They brainwashed Christy just like Christy's going to brainwash Billie."

"Well, not necessarily. And look, you know, they're right, we're not all about the greater good anymore."

"No one can't expect us to be. You've been doing this for eight years! I've been doing this for almost eleven years! And we've done a lot of really great good, in my opinion."

Piper's phone rang and she pulled it out of her pocket. "Hello? What do you mean, the band's not coming? I have a signed contract. I don't? Well, that's too bad. You're gonna have figure that one out cause, you know I've got stuff going on." She hung up and threw the phone on the couch. "How the hell did that happen?"

"We're spreading ourselves too thin." Paige said. "I can't even find a stupid Darklighter."

"I'm sure she doesn't think he's stupid." Phoebe said.

"Thank you for the guilt."

"Ok, regardless of what you think the cold hard fact is…. the Power of Three plus one is needed to stop Billie and Christy. Whether you like it or not." Piper said.

"Well, I'm sorry. I just still don't like it." Phoebe got up and left.

Piper looked at Paige. "What about you?"

"I don't know yet." Paige said. "But I have a charge to save." Paige stood up and left Piper sitting with Buffy.

Buffy pulled Piper to her feet and led her upstairs to Piper's bedroom. "What's wrong?" Piper asked.

"We should talk to an Elder." Buffy said. "They know about this whole thing. They have from the beginning."

Piper nodded. "Good idea."

Buffy looked up at the ceiling and called for an Elder. After a long moment, Sandra orbed in. "Thanks for coming." Buffy said.

"Of course."

"We need to know if Billie and Christy are the ones who we're going to have to fight to get Leo back."

"Boy, you get right to the point, don't you?"

"I don't have time to beat around the bush."

Sandra sighed. "I don't know. I'm sorry. Only the Angel of Destiny knows."

"How is that possible?" Piper asked. "If this is the great threat everybody's so worried about, how can you not know who it is? What do you guys do up there all day?"

"We think that….. it might be, yes…."

"Perfect."

"Especially after the involvement of the Triad. You have to understand that this plan was put into motion years before you even knew that you were witches and a Slayer."

"But, why?" Buffy asked.

"Perhaps they anticipated that no one would ever be able to defeat you. So rather than looking for more demons, they recruited powerful witches just like you. And, perhaps, even more importantly…. Powerful sisters."

"Would you like to explain that to Phoebe? Because I don't think she's gonna believe us." Piper said.

"It won't make it any easier for her to know. Billie….. is a friend, a person. That's what makes it all the more insidious."

"So, how do we defeat them?" Buffy asked.

"I wish I knew." Sandra orbed out.

Paige appeared in the doorway. "Hey! Guess who just called?" Buffy and Piper looked at her expectantly. "Billie."

"Did she say what she wanted?" Piper asked.

"Just that she wanted to speak to us."

"Yeah, well, great, then this could be a trap." Buffy said. "Did she call Phoebe?"

"Yeah, she did." They stopped their descent of the stairs and looked over to find Phoebe standing in the Conservatory, waiting for them.

"Well, at the risk of your wrath, I 'm gonna tell you that this could be a very bad idea."

"I know, but please let's just listen at what Billie has to say."

"Buffy and I just spoke with an Elder and she confirmed that this could be very big trouble for us." Piper said.

"What?" Paige said.

"She wasn't a hundred percent sure, but it is a possibility, which means sooner or later…." A large column of white smoke rose up suddenly, cutting Piper off. When it dissipated, Billie was standing there. Her hands were behind her back. "You know, considering you want to kill us, maybe you should use the front door."

"I don't want kill you, Piper, I just want to find out the truth." Billie said.

"How do we help you find that?" Phoebe asked.

"Like this." Billie threw a vial on the floor and smashed it. The girls glowed, then collapsed on the floor unconscious.


	128. Chapter 128

Chapter 128

"Anything?" Piper asked. The Manor had suddenly become dark and Billie had disappeared. Phoebe bounded down the stairs with Buffy right behind her.

"No. Everything seems normal." Phoebe said.

"Sort of." Buffy added.

"Well, Mikelle is gone." Paige said.

"And so is Billie." Piper said. "She obviously did something to us."

"Yeah, but what?"

"I don't know, but this is weird, and that's never good." Piper whacked Phoebe on her arm. "I told you it was a trap!"

"Ok, we need to figure out what she did to us and fast." Buffy said. She turned and saw Billie step out into the hallway. "Oh, why don't we just ask her?"

"Oh, hey, guys, what's up?" Billie said. Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige separated to flank Billie. "I'm…. late for class. Bye."

"No you don't!" Piper ran to stop her, but as they watched, Billie ran out of the foyer, out the front door, and completely through a green force field around the house, vanishing. Buffy tried to stop at the door, but the force field around the house pulled her in, then Phoebe, Piper, and Paige.

Buffy found herself at her house and she wasn't pregnant. The sounds of children came from upstairs and Buffy followed the sounds. She found Alex's room with four kids all playing and laughing. None of them looked like Wyatt or Chris.

"Mommy!" A little blonde haired girl about nine years old ran up and hugged her around the waist. "I'm so glad you're home. We were worried about you."

"Worried?" Buffy asked. "Why would you be worried?"

"We hate it when you go patrolling." A little boy about seven years old said, walking up to her other side.

"I was telling her, Connor." The little girl said.

"I beat you to it, Alex!" Connor stuck his tongue out at his older sister.

"Uh…. You guys stay here and play. I'm going to go visit your aunts real quick. Just…. Stay here." She backed out of the room and downstairs.

"Oh, good. You're home." Buffy wheeled around and saw Angel standing there. "The kids need help with their homework and….

"Yeah, uh…. I'll be back." Buffy dodged out of the house and rushed down the street to the Manor. "Hello! Piper? Phoebe! Paige! Anybody?" She walked back into the conservatory. "Guys?"

The front door opened and as it closed, Buffy rushed over to meet Piper. "Are you ok?" Piper asked.

"I've been better. What happened to you?"

"I was…. at the club. Where's Phoebe?"

"I don't know. I ended up at my house and…."

"You're not pregnant."

"Yeah, I got that. We're in dreamland."

"We're dreaming?"

"I think so."

"Did you see Billie?"

"Billie? No. Why?"

"I saw her at the club. I talked to her."

The front door opened again and Phoebe walked in. "Buffy? Piper? Paige?" She turned and found Buffy and Piper in the conservatory. "Thank god, I found you guys. Wait, this is you two, right? Not some weird wacky manifestation?"

"Wacky, maybe. Do you think we're dreaming, too?" Piper asked.

"What else could it be?" Phoebe asked.

"What I don't get is why would Billie do this to us?" Buffy asked. "I mean, what does she get out of it?"

"I don't know, but we have to figure out a way to wake up, otherwise we're in deep…. trouble."

"Oh, so now you're worried about Billie and Christy?" Piper said.

"Well, yeah. I mean, I may be an optimist, but I'm not stupid, you know? Have you seen Paige?"

"No, you?" Buffy said. Phoebe shook her head.

"Hey! You're not pregnant."

"Yeah, that's how I got that this was dream world."

"Well, they don't want to kill us, if they did we'd be dead, not dreaming." Piper said.

"What were you dreaming about?" Phoebe asked.

"Neglect. Apparently I put everything in my life on hold for Leo."

"Sounds about right. Buffy?"

"Uh, kids."

"Kids?"  
"Yeah. I got sucked to my house where there were four kids and Angel talking about homework. I kinda ran out on them to come here. What were you dreaming about?"

"Oh, you know, I'd rather not get into it, really." Buffy lifted an amused eyebrow. "Ok, I was dreaming about me and Coop, and…. you know, we were…. doing stuff…."

"Hang on a second." Piper said. "So you're having sex dreams while I'm sitting here wracked with guilt?"

"I'm sure he was just representing what I really wanted, you know? I mean…. I don't want him, obviously, you know, because even if I did, I…. I…. couldn't…. I couldn't have him…. Because of all the rules."

"Ok you're the big psychology major, how do we get out of this?" Buffy asked. "What do we do now?"

"I think we go deeper. I think we have to follow our dreams wherever they lead us, and hope that we wake up."

"Hopefully."

"Ok, so how do we do that?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, let's start by interpreting wherever we've already been, and try to figure out where our dreams are gonna take us."

"Mine was kinda obvious. I mean, kids and Angel…. A normal life. I always dream about it in some form or another."

"Are you sure that a normal life is what this particular dream is about?"

"Kids, Angel, me, a house? Yeah, that's pretty normal."

"I don't know. Maybe we all just need to let it go and see what happens."

"I can't, I'm too worried." Piper said. "I'm worried about Paige, I mean, why haven't we seen her?"

"Maybe she got out." Buffy said.

"Or maybe not."

"Well, there's nothing we can do until we get back, so our only choice is to follow our dreams." Phoebe said.

"All right, all right, all right."

"Ok, what did Billie say to you at the club?" Buffy asked.

"Uh, she said something about I kept blowing her up, and, you know, right about now, that seems like a pretty fabulous idea."

"Blowing her up, why?" Phoebe asked.

"Because I think she's responsible for Leo, which, if she's talking about getting him back, then she would be correct."

"Ok, maybe you need to stop focusing on Billie, and focus on Leo.

"And what about you and your lover?" Buffy asked.

"I don't think it relates to him. I mean, not directly. Anyway, I think it more has to do with…. Did you hear that?"

"What, your tall exotic lover?"

"No! You didn't hear that? Ok, you wait here." Phoebe got up and headed towards the kitchen. "Keep thinking about Leo and Buffy, keep thinking about kids."

"Kids. Right." Buffy sighed and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, she was back at her house. Angel walked up to Buffy and wrapped her in his arms. Buffy smiled. "Hey."

"Hey." Angel said, kissing her neck. "The kids missed you."

"I missed them too."

"You know, you don't have to be the Slayer all the time." Buffy looked up at him. "I know you like being a witch and a Slayer and a mom…. But you can just be a mom."

"I thought I was."

Angel shook his head. "Not here. Not in this time. You're taking too much time keeping the world safe and teaching the kids…. Wyatt too…. What it means to keep the world safe."

"Shouldn't they be prepared?"

"Yes, but not at the expense of their childhood and your life."

Buffy gasped and woke up on the floor of the conservatory. Beside her, Phoebe and Piper woke up, too. "We're back." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, but where's Paige?" Buffy asked.

"You don't think Billie…."

"No, she didn't do this to hurt us, but she did it for some reason."

"So is she off the hook?"

"Hardly but that's tomorrow's problem." Piper said. "Now, we've gotta find Paige."

Buffy, Piper, and Phoebe to appeared in the cave where Paige was lying on the ground dying, her breathing shallow. A Darklighter stood and turned, realizing who they were. "You're too late."

Piper gestured and Salek exploded.

Buffy and Phoebe stepped forward to check on Paige. "Oh my god, Paige! Paige!" Phoebe said. "Hang in there, what do we do?"

"We need a whitelighter." Buffy said. Before she could call for her husband, the girl Paige had been trying to save orbed in next to her own dead body.

"Maybe that's why I'm here." Mikelle said. Her hands started to glow gold. She looked at her hands, then kneeled down next to Paige. She put her glowing hands over Paige's wound and healed her.

Paige gasped and looked up at Mikelle. "Mikelle."

"Paige. You were right. I was meant for something special, and I think I just did it." Mikelle gasped and looked up as the Elders called her away. She smiled at Paige as she orbed out.

By the crackling fireplace at Buffy's house, Paige sipped out of a mug Angel had brought in for her. Phoebe and Piper joined her with mugs of their own and Buffy and Angel sat on the couch across from Paige.

"Hey, how're you doing? You ok?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah, I guess I'm ok." Paige said. "Considering…."

"Considering what?" Buffy asked.

"Considering I was supposed to save my charge, and instead she ended up saving me. Maybe Billie's right. Maybe we are selfish."

"No." Angel said. "Wanting a life doesn't make you selfish. It makes you normal."

"Yeah, well, we're not normal. We're the Charmed Ones and the Slayer."

"Nobody said we had to be that for the rest of our lives." Piper said. "It's not written in stone."

"Yeah, if wanting children and enlightenment and Leo back and normalcy makes us selfish then, I'm guilty." Phoebe said.

"I'd say we've done enough." Buffy said. "And that doesn't make us evil."

"Well I think it does, from Billie and Christy's warped point of view." Paige said. "So what are we gonna do?"

"We're gonna stop them before they stop us." Phoebe said. They all looked at Angel.

He held his hands up. "Hey, this is your destiny. I'm just along for the ride this time."

"Just tell us that you agree this has to happen." Buffy said.

Angel sighed. "I don't like it, but…. It's what has to happen. If Billie and Christy are hell bent on destroying you because Christy's demons are, then they have to be stopped. One way or another."


	129. Chapter 129

Chapter 129

Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige cautiously walked through the empty hallway at Magic School. "I can't believe I got up early on my husband's day off for this." Paige said.

"Stop complaining. We're getting close." Buffy said.

"Close to what? Getting killed?" Piper asked.

"Buffy and I scryed for evil and it was here." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, because their names are Christy and Billie."

Phoebe stopped and turned to look at Piper. "I'm telling you, it can't be them."

"Why not? They're supposed to be the ultimate power." Paige said.

"Yeah, but I still think they're being manipulated by something."

"Or maybe you're just avoiding the inevitable." Buffy said.

"I told you. If we need to take down Billie and Christy, I'm there. Seriously. But…. I still think there's something else behind them." Buffy stiffened suddenly and looked at a door. "What? Are you ok? The baby…."

"The baby's fine. But….. whatever your something else is…. I think it's behind that door."

"How can you tell?" Paige asked.

"My spider senses are tingling."

Phoebe shrugged. "What have we got to lose, right?"

"Ah, you know." Piper said. "Just our lives. Look, we're not even ready to deal with Billie and Christy, let alone what may or may not be behind door number 3."

"Well, the sooner we find out, the better." Phoebe opened the door to reveal a room that was completely black. In the center of the room was a lit platform.

"All right." Paige said. "Now that we've ascertained it's a creepy, empty room, I think we can go."

"Just because we don't see anything doesn't mean it's not there." Buffy said. "This place is giving me really creepy vibes."

"Mm-hmm. Me, too. I'm with Paige." Piper said. "Let's go."

"This room's not even supposed to be here, right?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, whether it is or it's not…. let's go!" Paige said.

"There's gotta be something in here." Buffy said, moving further into the room. Piper and Paige grabbed both Buffy and Phoebe's arms and led them out of the room.

"Ok. That's enough. Let's go." Piper said as the door closed behind them.

Several demons shimmered into the hallway as they turned to leave. "You're not supposed to be here." The head demon said.

"Actually, I think you got that backwards." Buffy said. The head demon powered up a fireball and held it in his hand.

"Wait!" From behind the demons, Christy walked to the front. "Stop. I mean it."

"So, what? Are these hall monitors working for you now?" Phoebe asked.

"Does Billie know about this?" Paige asked.

"Billie's not your concern anymore." Christy said. "And neither is this place. So just go, now."

"Sorry. That's a no-can-do." Buffy said.

"What are you gonna do, Buffy? Are you gonna vanquish me? Oh, wait. I'm human. And that's murder. That's illegal, isn't it?"

"That is, unless it's self-defense."

"I guess we'll just have to see how this plays out then, won't we?"

Buffy laughed. "You couldn't take me little girl." She stepped forward, but Piper and Paige dragged her back.

"Let's get outta here." Phoebe said, moving in front of Buffy.

"We'll be seeing you again." Buffy threatened as Paige orbed them out.

"Just out of curiosity…." Paige said from her perch at the island in the kitchen at the Manor. "Was it easier dealing with all of this stuff when Leo was mortal, or when Leo was magical?"

"It was easier when he was still around." Piper said.

"Well, obviously. I just mean, you know, being pulled away by demons all the time."

"Oh, I don't know. It was kind of a toss-up. When he was magical, he understood more but when he was human, he was in more danger. So I was more worried."

"So what I'm hearing you say is that it pretty much sucks either way."

"Yes, basically."

"Huh. Fantastic."

"But you just got married, you know. Give it some time. You'll get used to it."

"But, see, that's the thing. I don't want to get used to it. I want to be able to go away with my husband, go out, do things, without always being called back on some emergency."

"Hmm. Yes. Well, good luck with that."

Buffy walked in. "What's Phoebe doing? I thought she was going to her apartment."

"Probably avoiding Coop." Piper said.

Buffy rolled her eyes. "The girl falls for an impossible guy and now she's up to her nose in demons."

"Guys? Come here!" Phoebe called.

"Now what'd she find?" Paige groaned.

"Probably another reason to avoid Coop." Piper said as they headed out to the dining room.

"I think I ID'd the new power." Phoebe said.

"Yeah? Are you sure you're just not trying to keep busy to avoid…."

"Piper, I told you. If worse comes to worse, I will totally…."

"She's not talking about Billie and Christy. She's talking about Coop." Buffy said.

"What about Coop?" Paige asked.

"Yeah, what about Coop?" Piper said to Phoebe.

"I love Coop. Ok? I'm in love with Coop. I love him, and I just can't help it. But this has nothing to do with that." Phoebe said.

"Hey, it's completely understandable." Buffy said. "You're miserable that he can't love you back. He's not allowed to, and so you'd like to take your frustrations out on some demons."

"Can we please just focus here? We are running out of time, and we have no idea what we're up against. Since we can't go back to magic school because it's not safe for us, I compiled a little list here of all the good magical creatures that have helped us in the past." Phoebe handed the list to Paige.

"Why are leprechauns at the top of the list?" Paige asked.

"Well, because they have luck. And we need luck."

"Yeah, but isn't that like throwing them into the lion's den?" Piper asked.

"No. I mean, it has to do with them, too. It's good versus evil, you know. It affects all of us."

"What happened, in my life, that I wound up having to talk to leprechauns so much?" Paige asked.

"I'm sorry, honey. But you know them best." Phoebe looked at Buffy. "Ok. You and I are gonna go upstairs and see if we can ID Christy's new hall monitor friend." She picked up the Book of Shadows from under her papers.

Buffy looked at Piper for help, but Piper just shrugged and waved at her.

"Please Angel!" Paige said.

"Paige, you really don't need me." Angel said, sitting behind his desk at the Hyperion.

"You're Irish. They'll listen to you."

"Paige, seriously. You do fine with the leprechauns on your own."

"Look, I will pay you twenty dollars to just come with me."

Angel laughed. "I don't want your money."

Paige groaned and sat down in a chair. "I hate being the only one in this family that has to talk to the leprechauns."

"They like you."

"They don't like anybody but themselves."

"That's not always true." Angel sighed. "Fine. I'll go with you, but you're doing the talking."

"Thank you!"

"Hey Paige." Cordy said from the doorway.

"Hi Cordelia."

"How's married life?"

"I wouldn't know. I keep getting dragged away from my new husband to fight demons and talk to leprechauns."

"Did someone say leprechauns?" Doyle asked from behind Cordy.

"Angel and I are going to talk to the leprechauns to see if they'll help us."

"With Billie and Christy?" Cordy asked.

"Sort of in a way yes."

"Are you guys really going up against them?" Doyle asked.

"If we have to." Paige stood up and looked at Angel. "Can we get this over with? I'd like to get in a little time with my husband on his day off."

Angel sighed and looked at Doyle. "Hold the fort down. I'll be back." He and Paige orbed out.

"I swear, I'll never get used to seeing him do that." Cordy said, walking off.

Angel and Paige orbed into a large, hollowed-out trunk that was almost a cave, in a green, grassy area. Three leprechauns were playing cards, including O'Brien and Liam, a younger and a smidge less cantankerous.

O'Brien looked at them and rolled his eyes. "Now, what, for God's sake, could you possibly be wanting now?"

"Look, I know you just did me a favor, ok? Which I-I so appreciate. But I just need this one thing."

"The balance of good and evil depends on it." Angel added.

"Well, it's always something with you people." O'Brien said.

"It shouldn't take long. It's super easy." Paige said. "All I…. we need you to do is sneak into magic school and just identify a certain evil, that's all."

Liam sighed and put his cards down on the tree trunk. "A demon, no doubt. Place is swarming with 'em. Probably part of the brewing storm we been hearing about."

"Exactly. That's it. That's all you have to do."

"We're leprechauns. We toss a bit o' luck around, here and there." O'Brien said. "These big battles? They're really more up your alley."

"This fight affects us all." Angel said.

"Ah, still…. like he said, we're not much for the fighting." Liam said. "Might be better if we sit this one out."

"Well, if the balance of power shifts, you're gonna be doing an awful lot of sitting around here cause there's gonna be nobody to protect you from all that evil." Paige said. "Look, we came to you guys first because you're smart, you're cunning, you're brave…."

"Good-looking." O'Brien added.

"You're…. damn good-looking."

"That's for sure." Angel added, hiding a smile. "But, hey! If you don't want to help the girls stop the ultimate power, that's ok! We'll just go ask the gnomes."

"What?" O'Brien cried. "The gnomes are idiots! Y-you can't trust 'em any farther than you can throw 'em! All right, we'll do it. But we don't like it."

"Thank you." Paige said. They walked out of the tree and Paige looked up at Angel. "And thank you for coming."

"You're welcome. Call me if you need me. I'll be in LA all day." Angel orbed out.

Buffy and Piper walked into the attic and found Phoebe and Coop in the middle of a steamy make-out session. "Ok, so, dad is taking the kids to the zoo-oo…."

"Wow!" Buffy said. "Excuse us!"

"Hello. Hi. Sorry to interrupt. But you know…. ultimate power. Mysterious things. Gotta go. Tick-tock."

"Right. Right." Phoebe said. "Exactly. Uh-huh. Uh…. You should probably go, I'm thinking. You know?"

"Yeah. Uh…." Coop nodded. "We'll, uh…. Talk to you later."

"Ok. Yeah." Coop flashed out and Phoebe caught the look that Buffy was shooting at her. She could read the message on her face loud and clear. She didn't their psychic connection for that. "Oh, God. I know. I know. It's forbidden love. And I'm doomed. And…. And…. And we're….. doomed, and everything is doomed!" She picked up an ingredient and tossed it into the pot with a loud POOF!

"That about sums it up." Buffy said. She nudged Phoebe's shoulder with her own. "Well, at least you're not avoiding anything anymore."

"Did you happen to ID Christy's hall monitor?" Piper asked.

"Ah, yeah. But uh, he's gotta get away from magic school before we can do anything." Phoebe said.

Piper went to the Book of Shadows and flipped through it to a particular page. "Ok. That's all right, cause when we do, he'll talk. I guarantee it."

Buffy walked over and looked over Piper's shoulder at the Book.

"Oh man! That thing sucks!" Buffy said.

"Well, at least it won't be cast on you this time."

Angel orbed in next to Buffy. "Hey, Paige hasn't heard from the leprechauns yet."

"Well that's not a good sign." Piper said.

"I just hope we didn't confirm the mystery power's existence at their expense." Phoebe said.

"Yeah, that would be a bad thing, which also means that we're running out of time, looking for it." Buffy said.

"Tell me about it. I'm beginning to think that the ultimate power's power is to drive us crazy."

"I think you're gonna have to face some harsh realities soon, Phoebe." Piper said. "We may just have to…."

"Uh! Don't say the k-word. Do not say the k-word, in regards to Billie and Christy, please."

"Ok. Well, just because you don't wanna say it doesn't mean we won't have to do it."

"Ok. And push comes to shove, you're gonna be able to do it? You're actually gonna be able to kill them?"

"Uh, if it's us or them? Absolutely."

"I'm with Piper." Buffy said. "We're not talking about innocents here, Phoebe. And whether or not there's a force behind them, the Triad hand-picked them to kill us. I mean, it's time to get real."

"That's even more reason to avoid confrontation and figure out who's behind them." Phoebe said. The scrying crystal she was using landed on the map with a thunk. "Oh. Which I think I may have just done."

"You found the demon?" Piper asked.

"I think so."

"Ok. Angel, you and I will use the truth potion to pry a name out of them. You guys stay here to figure out if the leprechauns are coming back." Buffy picked up the vials with the potions in them.

"But what if they don't?" Piper asked. "What if something happened to them?"

"We'll deal with that when we come to it." Buffy took Angel's hand and he orbed them to where the crystal had fallen on the map.

"You signed an oath in blood." Creo, the demon from magic school said. "We both did. And if you don't protect them, you'll face a fate much worth than death."

"Funny you should say that." Buffy said. Creo and his buddy looked up to see her and Angel standing behind them. Buffy waved her hand and the demons flew across the alley to slam into the top of the dumpster behind them. They fell to the ground and quickly got to their feet. "We have a few questions for you." She threw two vials and it smashed on the ground at their feet. A white smoke rose and the two demons inhaled it. "The demon you're working for…. Who is it?"

"The demon…. Is…." The second demon started.

Creo took a breath and fought the potion, stopping the other demon. "No. We can't."

"Too bad you don't have a choice." Angel said. Creo and the other demon looked at each other as if coming to an agreement. They both powered up a fireball and hurled it at the other at the same time. The demons exploded, their screams echoing in the air.

"Did they just…." Buffy looked up at Angel. "I mean really?"

"I'm pretty sure they just vanquished each other to keep from talking." Angel said.

"That's not good at all."

"Let's get back and let the others know what just happened."


	130. Chapter 130

Chapter 130

"Two and a half corn dogs? What, are you crazy, dad? He's three! She's two! I don't care if they tag team-begged." Piper said as Buffy and Angel orbed in. "Look, I gotta go. But seriously, no more junk food, or they will vomit on you." Piper hung up and put the phone down. "Dad let Wyatt and Alex have two and a half corn dogs each."

"Are you kidding me? Alex is going to be so sick!" Buffy said.

"Yeah. Uh…. Where's the demon?"

"In the wasteland probably." Angel said. "Him and his pal vanquished each other so they didn't have to talk."

"They sacrificed themselves?" Phoebe asked from her place by the Book.

"Yep. Scary, huh?" Buffy asked.

"Any word from our little green friends?" Angel asked Paige.

"No. Nothing." Paige said. "I hope they're ok." Paige turned and opened a trunk.

"What are you doing?" Piper asked.

Paige took out the shillelagh stick. "I am going to call them. Go n-eiri an bothar leat." A rainbow appeared and Liam and O'Brien landed on the floor.

"Well! I might've known it was you, dropping us on our behinds!" O'Brien said. "You've no right to call us back like that."

"Well, I'm sorry. I was worried. Are you ok?"

"Now you're worried. After sending us into harm's way."

"Look, we wouldn't have done it if it wasn't important." Phoebe said.

"Yeah. Come on, guys, we're trying to save the future here." Piper said.

"So you say." Liam said. "I'll be taking that back now, thank you." He grabbed the shillelagh out from Paige's hand.

"Hey, what are you doing?" Paige said.

"We're no longer at your beck and call." O'Brien said. "Go n-eiri and bother leat!" A rainbow appeared.

"That was a gift."

"And don't bother calling." Liam said. They sauntered into the rainbow and the rainbow vanished with them.

"Wow. What's wrong with them?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know, but it's not good." Paige said. She started walking out of the attic and everyone else followed. "Ok, I know leprechauns are crabby, but this is different."

"What do you mean? You think Billie and Christy got to them somehow?" Buffy asked.

"Or maybe somebody else did." Phoebe said.

"I just can't believe they turned on us like that." Paige said. "I mean, what did we do?"

"Maybe it's not anything we did. Maybe it's something Billie and Christy did." Piper said. "Or whoever's behind it."

"What are you saying?"

"She's saying they did to the leprechauns what the Triad did to them." Buffy said.

"Turned them against us?" Phoebe said.

"Twist everything around and make us look like the bad guys."

"That's crazy. They would never believe that." Paige said.

"Sure, they would." Piper said. "Think about our track record with them lately."

"But what purpose would that serve? I mean, why even bother?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know."

"To isolate us, make sure we have a little less backup in our time of need." Buffy said.

"You mean when they attack." Phoebe said.

"Maybe that's what they've been waiting for."

"Well, we have to warn the magical community and tell 'em not to fall for it." Phoebe said.

"Where's that list?" Piper asked.

"Upstairs. I'll get it." Phoebe said.

"No, I'll get it. You go talk to Coop and make sure they don't try to turn anybody else against us." Phoebe nodded and headed for the front door.

"And I'm going to talk to our little friends again." Paige said.

"Well, I think that's kind of a waste of time." Piper said, heading back up the stairs.

"I don't think so. I'm not letting 'em off the hook that easily." Paige orbed out.

Buffy looked at Angel. "Sweetie, you should just head back to the Hyperion. Cordy and Doyle need you more than us right now."

"Are you sure?" Angel asked.

"Yeah. Go on. I love you." Buffy kissed Angel and he orbed out.

As soon as he was gone, Buffy flashed and was suddenly her adolescent self. She giggled and looked around mischievously. She spotted the kids' toys in the conservatory and went over to start playing. When Piper zoomed down the stairs, there was a mess of toys all around the conservatory and into the sitting room.

"Oh! This place is a mess!" Piper cried.

"Piper!" Buffy jumped up and hugged her cousin tightly. "Come play! Phoebe's not here and Prue's not here and Paige isn't here and you're the only one here and I need someone to play with and I'm so _bored_! Come play!"

"I don't have time to play. I've got to clean this mess up!" Piper zoomed off.

"Wow! So cool! I wanna do that!" Buffy started running around with her arms thrown out. "Zooooooom!"

Piper was vacuuming the main hall when her timer bell dinged. In a blur, Piper turned the vacuum off and went into the kitchen. She zoomed out of the kitchen carrying a tray of cookies. She put the tray of cookies down next to the first tray of pastry cups. She picked up the martini mixer and shook it.

"Cookies!" Buffy ran over and started to grab a handful.

Piper slapped her hand away. "They're not for you."

"But Piper!" A faerie appeared and started talking. "Oh my gosh! Piper look!"

"May I help you?" Piper asked, shaking the martini mixer. "What's that? You and the whole magical community is under attack? Demons are slaughtering you left and right? Your only hope is us?" Piper put the martini mixer down on the table. "Well. I'm sorry, but unfortunately, I can't help you. I need to be here for when Leo comes home."

"Piper!" Buffy cried. "I want fairy wings! Is there a spell to give me fairy wings!" She started turning in circles to look at her back.

Suddenly, the faerie exploded and Piper whirled around in time to see the explosion. Buffy screamed and ducked under the table. A fine stream of dust fell to the carpet and Piper gasped. She looked at the demon. "That's just awful! I just vacuumed there." Piper turned to get the vacuum and Buffy glowed, realizing the severity of what had just happened. She slowly came out from under the table as the demon shimmered out.

"Uh…. Piper…." Buffy started.

Piper started vacuuming the carpet, the faerie dust tinkling as it was sucked into the machine. She glowed too as the spell on her wore off as well. She changed out of her housewife clothes and back into her regular clothes. "Uh-oh."

"I'll say that's a big uh-oh."

"I'll call Paige."

"I'll call Phoebe."

They both went their separate ways to grab their individual phones.

The front door opened and Phoebe rushed in. "Piper? Buffy!" She closed the door and hurried through the main hall. "Paige?"

"Thank god you're all right." Buffy said, stepping out from the sitting room. "Why didn't you answer your cell?"

"I left it at the condo."

"Was a spell cast on you as well?" Paige asked.

"Yes. I don't know what happened. One second, I was talking to Coop, and the next, I was attacking him."

"Magically?"

"No. Sexually. Who do you think did this to us?"

"Who else?" Piper said. "Billie. She's the only one who knows us well enough to use our past against us."

"Ooh, I'm gonna kill her."

"Where've you been?" Buffy asked.

"Ok, the big question is, what do we do now?" Paige asked.

"Uh…. they seem to be one step ahead of us." Phoebe said. "I mean, we tried to warn our friends."

"Who probably think we've abandoned them." Piper said.

"Yeah? Well, we need to find them and change their minds." Paige said.

"The only way to do that is to save them." Buffy said.

The four of them headed upstairs to the attic. They found the remaining magical community gathered there. "What's goin' on?" Phoebe asked.

"We were just coming to save you." Paige said.

"Well, we've already been saved." O'Brien said. "And not by you. Yeah. For years we thought you were on our side. Counted on ya. And to leave us…. high and dry…."

"Hey. We were under a spell." Piper said.

"We wanted to save you, but something wouldn't let us." Phoebe said.

The ogre stood up. "You betrayed us!" He went to backhand Phoebe across the face, but Buffy grabbed his fist and stopped it.

"Don't touch her!" Buffy growled, tossing the fist back to the ogre's side. He raised both hands to attack. "I'm still the Slayer. I've still got more strength than you. You really want to try me?" The ogre backed down.

With O'Brien in the lead, the magical community advanced around the Charmed Ones and Buffy. "It's always one thing or another with you, isn't it? Our good friends are being slaughtered while you're kissing your loved ones or contemplating your navel. Billie and Christy were right about you."

"Look, they're twisting everything. It's not what you think." Paige said.

"They know exactly what to think." Christy said as she and Billie stepped out from the back of the crowd. "They think it's over."

"And so do we." Billie said.

Christy concentrated and a large fireball formed in front of her. The magical creatures gasped and stepped back. "Uh…. the Book." Phoebe said, rushing towards it with Piper, Paige, and Buffy as Billie telekinetically pushed the fireball toward them. Paige orbed them out just as the fireball passed through them and at the far wall, completely demolishing it.

They orbed into the Underworld, falling on their backsides. "What…. how did we get here?" Buffy asked.

"I don't know." Paige said. "I aimed for Magic School. They must have…. Protected it from us."

"Wait. So there's demons up there, and we're stuck in the Underworld?" Phoebe asked.

"We're the bad guys now." Piper said.

"Well, how did that happen?" Paige asked.

"More importantly, what are we gonna do now?" Buffy asked. In the darkness, a great demonic howl echoed throughout the cavern. They turned around and saw nothing but darkness and miniature volcanoes spewing out light and smoke.

"Oh, this is bad. This is really bad." Piper said.

"Should we call Angel?" Paige asked.

"No." Buffy said. "Let's orb to the Hyperion. We've got to figure this out." Paige nodded and orbed them to the lobby of the Hyperion. Buffy broke away and walked to Angel's office. "Angel?"

"Hey." Angel stood up from his desk. "What are you doing here? Why are you dirty?"

"We got orbed to the Underworld."

"What? How?"

"Three guesses and only the first one counts."

"Billie and Christy?"

"They've turned the whole magical community against us before trying to kill us."

"They tried to kill you?"

"Who tried to kill who? Buffy! I saw your cousins out there and…." Cordy went to hug her friend, stopped when she realized how dirty Buffy was. "Oh, what happened?"

"Billie and Christy tried to kill them." Angel said.

"Oh my god! Are you guys alright?"

"Other than the entire magical community thinking we're the bad guys, yeah." Buffy went to the door and waved her cousins in. "Where's Doyle?"

"He's out getting something for a client."

"What's going on?" Piper asked.

"Just updating everyone minus Doyle." Buffy said as Cordy brought in more chairs.

"Maybe we should talk to the leprechauns again." Phoebe said as they sat down.  
"No. I've had it with the leprechauns." Paige said.

"I think they've made their allegiance pretty clear." Buffy said.

"They wouldn't even give us a chance to explain." Phoebe said.

"I don't think it would have mattered." Piper said. "Billie and Christy have everybody thinking that we're the threat."

"What are we gonna do?" Phoebe asked.

"How about we just orb home?" Paige asked hopefully.

"No, it's too risky." Buffy said. "Billie and Christy will be waiting for us, and their new friends."

"What about your house?" Phoebe asked.

"They'll probably have someone guarding it."

"Ok, well, we got to do something. We can't hide up here forever" Paige said.

"She's right. We need a plan." Piper said.

"Maybe just give up."

"What?"

"It's just that every time we go out and try to get a life…. meet people, do new things…. We seem to wind up back in these kind of lame positions. Giving up's not such a bad idea, is it?"

"No, I'm not giving up." Phoebe said. "Not now. And not after I finally found someone I could see having a future with. Look, if we want our lives and Leo back, we're gonna have to fight."

"Fight Billie and Christy."

"Exactly."

"Are you sure you can do it?" Angel asked. "I mean really do it. Can you kill them?"

"Yeah. They're no different than demons now. Not after all of this." Phoebe said, looking grimmer than Buffy'd ever seen her.


	131. Chapter 131

Chapter 131

Piper added some ingredients to the potions pot and it reacted with white smoke rising from the pot. Buffy and Phoebe walked in carrying more ingredients. "Hey, you guys, keep it down. They could still be in the house, you know." Phoebe said.

"Here's hoping." Piper said.

"Yeah, but we don't want to have to attack before we're ready."

"Well, I wish we hadn't taken the Book of Shadows to your condo. We could've used it." Paige said.

"I don't think we're going to need it." Buffy said.

"Still, I don't want to take any chances after what happened last time."

"Ok, well, that should be enough. They are human after all." Phoebe said.

"I'm not so sure." Piper retorted.

"All right, get the vials." Phoebe picked up the empty vials and started filling them. When she was done, she handed one to each of them and they headed down to the second floor.

"Anything?" Piper asked as they checked the rooms.

"No." Buffy said, heading for the stairway. The four of them slowly descended the stairway, cautiously looking out for Billie or Christy.

"I guess they're not here." Paige said.

"Maybe they're at magic school." Phoebe suggested.

Billie and Christy stepped out from the conservatory. "No, we're not." Billie said.

"Waiting for us, I see." Paige said.

"We knew you'd have to come back here eventually." Christy said.

"Yes, well, seeing how it is our house." Piper said. "Oh, wow. I see we have potions."

"You taught me well." Billie said.

"So what are you waiting for?" Christy asked.

"Nothing." Piper said. She and Phoebe got ready to throw their vials, but Buffy stopped them.

"Stop it. Stop."

"I told you this wouldn't make them attack first." Christy said to Billie just before they vanished.

"What was that?" Phoebe asked as they all walked into the conservatory.  
"Billie's projection power." Buffy said.

Billie and Christy ran out from the dining room and quickly threw their vials. Buffy saw them first and threw hers, waving her other hand and sending the three from Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's hands as well. The vials collided mid-air and exploded. The force of the vanquishing explosion was so great that it threw Piper, Phoebe, Buffy, and Paige backward toward the conservatory windows. It also threw Billie and Christy up and back toward the stair railing.

Buffy rolled painfully to her side and looked at Phoebe. "Hey."

"Oh god, are you ok?" Phoebe asked.

"Yeah." Buffy said, watching as the cuts from the glass were healed by her unborn son.

"You guys ok?"

"Yeah." Paige said.

Phoebe checked on Piper who was still unconscious. "Piper, are you ok?"

"Guys." Buffy warned, watching Billie and Christy slowly get to their feet. "Let's get her out of here." Phoebe and Paige each held onto Piper's hands and Paige took Buffy's hand as she orbed them to Phoebe's loft.

"I'll go get her some water." Phoebe said. She and Paige both started to get up, but were then zapped by a wave of white light and all three of them fell back to the floor, unconscious.

Phoebe woke up first and didn't like what she saw. She got up and immediately started shaking Buffy, Piper, and Paige to wake up. "Piper, Buffy, Paige, wake up."

"What?" Paige asked.

A demon stood up and buttoned his jacket. "Well, it's about time." There was another demon sitting behind him.

The four women got to their feet. "Oh, ok, Piper, blast." Buffy said.

"Wait. If you vanquish me now, who'll help you stop the Triad?"

"We already stopped the Triad." Phoebe said.

"Yes, but they came back. Or didn't you know? They're Evil Incarnate. And since evil never really dies, neither do they, or at least not for long. Who else could invert morality to the point of making you out to be as bad as us? Billie and Christy? I don't think so."

"We always knew somebody else was behind them." Paige said.

"All right. What do you want?" Piper asked.

"We want to help you." The cocky demon said.

"How? By knocking us out?" Buffy asked.

"We could've killed you if we wanted to." The second demon said.

"Or at least we could've tried." The cocky demon said. "But we didn't. The point is, if you want your lives back and you want to stop the Triad as much as we do, then you'll let us help."

"Help with what?" Piper asked.

"I know the Triad. I used to serve under them. And more importantly, I know what they're thinking. Which means I might be able to find out what Billie and Christy's next move might be."

"Which might help you defeat them next time." The second demon said.

"Why would a demon want our help killing another demon?" Paige asked.

"Personal reasons." The cocky demon said. "Look, all you need to know is if you're going to do what must be done to save your future, you're gonna have to trust us. Well, what do you say?"

"I don't know. I don't like it." Phoebe said.

Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige looked at Piper when she didn't respond. Paige turned and looked over at the empty doorway where Piper was staring. After a long moment, Piper turned and looked at Buffy. "Did you see that?"

"See what?" Buffy asked.

Piper turned and looked at the empty doorway again. "Nothing. Um…. we'll take whatever help we can get." The two demons nodded and shimmered out.

"How can you trust them?" Paige asked.

"We can't. But we're out of options."

Piper and Paige sat at the back of the room, a small chest between them on which they were making a potion while Buffy and Phoebe sat on the couch scrying. The crystal hit the map. "Ok, they're back." Phoebe said.

"At the manor." Buffy added.

"Ok, we're almost ready." Piper said.

"I'm just worried that Billie's gonna be able to match whatever potion we come up with." Phoebe said.

"Well, it's four against two. It really should be enough."

"Yeah, well, not if the Triad is helping them, it's not." Paige said. "I mean, what we're making might not be strong enough. I just hope our demon friends come through for us. And isn't it strange saying 'demon friends'?"

"We can't trust them." Phoebe said.

"I think we're gonna have to." Buffy said.

"So how much of this has to do with what you think you saw?" Phoebe asked Piper.

"I don't think I saw Leo." Piper said. "I know I did."

"What do you think it means?"

"I don't know. But I can't imagine it's a good omen."

Their two demon friends shimmered in. "Well, it's about time." Paige said.

"Cute." The cocky demon said. "So you want the good news or the bad news?"

"Just cut to the chase." Buffy said.

"Very well. The Triad is, in fact, alive, at least in spirit form. But I don't think Billie and Christy know."

"Then how are they helping them?" Paige asked.

"Through a demon whom I don't know. But the big news is what they want Billie and Christy to get to kill you. The Hollow."

"The Hollow?" Phoebe repeated.

"Actually, you should take it as a compliment. They obviously want you dead at all costs."

"And even potentially all of mankind." The second demon added.

"Well, that's really great because even we can't stop the Hollow." Paige said.

Piper started flipping through the Book of Shadows. "Which is why we need to get it before they do."

"Wait. What?" Phoebe said.

"Piper, do you remember the last time somebody unleashed the Hollow?" Paige asked.

"Yes, I do." Piper said. "The Source used it to steal our powers, which I think is the point."

"But then he went nuts, and then it went into Cole and he went nuts and then he turned evil, and we had to vanquish him. Is that ringing any bells here?"

"Yes, which is precisely why we need to get it first."

Coop flashed in. "Oh, finally. Phoebe…." He stopped and saw the demons in the room with Buffy, Piper, and Paige also in the room. "What's going on?"

Phoebe pointed to the bedroom. "In there. Come on. Just…." She and Coop headed for the bedroom to talk, closing the door behind them.

After a long moment, the door opened and only Phoebe came back into the room. "You ok?" Buffy asked.

"Does it matter?" Phoebe sighed. "So are we gonna do this or what?"

"I want to get them as much as anybody else, but at what cost?" Paige said. "You know, if we take this in, how do we get rid of it?"

"Well, there's a spell right here." Piper said.

"Ok, if we summon The Hollow and we get infected, who's gonna be around to say it?"

"She's got a point." Phoebe said.

"Willow." Buffy said.

"What?" Paige and Phoebe asked.

"Willow and Tara can say the spell to get rid of the Hallow."

"Do you really want to drag them into this?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, here are our options. We can take Billie and Christy out before we get infected. We can do nothing, let them get the Hollow, and then all of this really won't matter because then we'll be dead. Or we can take in the Hallow and let Willow and Tara get rid of it. They're powerful enough."

"You do realize, of course, that taking out Billie and Christy will only eliminate today's problems." Cocky demon said. "What about tomorrow?"

"What are you talking about?" Piper asked.

"What am I talking about? I'm talking about the Triad. You're gonna have to go after them, too, if you really want this nightmare to be over. Otherwise, they're gonna keep finding new ways to attack you for another eight years."

"But with the Hollow, you'll have the power to vanquish them once and for all." The second demon said.

"How do we know you're not gonna come after us next?" Paige asked.

"We might." Cocky demon said. "But probably not anytime soon. We're not powerful enough to challenge the Charmed Ones. No demon who remains is, save for the Triad. You've decimated the old guard, and we…. well, we need time to rebuild. We might be ready when your next generation takes power." He motioned to Buffy's pregnant belly.

"I'll be looking forward to it." Buffy said.

"Oh, there'll be nothing to look forward to unless you take in the Hollow now."

Buffy noticed Piper's silence again and turned to see what she was looking at. Phoebe and Paige also turned. "Do you see him again?" Buffy asked.

"Yes." Piper said.

"Let's do it then."

"Are you sure you want to risk this?" Phoebe asked Buffy.

"This is my destiny too, remember? If this stops Billie and Christy and gets Leo back and gets our lives back on track, then I'm more than willing to risk this."

"I'll get the candles." Phoebe squeezed Buffy's hand.

Buffy, Paige, Piper, and Phoebe orbed into the conservatory after taking the Hallow into themselves and destroying the Triad in their creepy room at Magic School. Billie and Christy descended the stairs as Billie said, "We've been waiting for you."

"Well, your wait is over." Paige said.

"No potions, huh?" Paige asked.

"We don't need any potions." Christy said.

"Funny." Phoebe said. "Neither do we."

"I knew we shouldn't have trusted you." Buffy said to Christy.

"You should've followed your instincts." Christy said.

"Next time." Piper said.

"There won't be a next time." Billie said.

After a beat, each side blasted the other side with streams of raw power and energy. The power met in the middle of the sitting room, each canceling out the other. More and more power was blasted at the other. The energy in the middle grew and grew and random streams of electricity burst from the center. One hit the chandelier, exploding it. More and more energy was blasted toward the other. A random stream of power burst out from the growing center and hit the potted plant and another hit the table, exploding it into pieces. Another stream of power hit the hallway clock, smashing it to bits. The energy in the room continued to grow and grow as a random stream of power hit another plant. Finally, it was too much uncontained power with nowhere to go and the energy exploded. Billie and Christy were thrown up and backward toward the hallway stairs. Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige were blasted with the force of the exploding energy and were thrown up and backward toward the ceiling. All of them screamed.

The house exploded, energy from within burst through the windows and doors, ripping the entire building apart. The Halliwell Manor was completely destroyed, a large plume of power and energy rose out of the decimated building. Pieces of burning wood fell to the ground. Car alarms blared around the block as dogs barked wildly. The magical explosion vanished and it turned dark again. Out from the explosion like a swarm of bees, the Hollow rose out, swirled around and zoomed away.


	132. Chapter 132

Chapter 132

Angel orbed to the Manor and found it a disaster area. Pieces of wood, paper, and other falling debris rained down on him and the yard. Echoes of car alarms blaring were heard in the distance. Small pockets of fire burned throughout what was remaining of the Halliwell Manor.

"Oh god!" Angel started digging through debris. "Buffy! Buffy! Answer me baby! Buffy!" He heard coughing and rubble moving a few feet away. "Buffy!" He started digging and found his wife buried under a large amount of debris. She was dirty and her clothes were torn and slightly singed, but she was fine.

"He healed me." Buffy said, standing on shaky legs. "Oh god…."

"What happened?"

Buffy's eyes glazed over and she gripped her chest as she started to panic. "PHOEBE! PHOEBE!" She started tearing at the debris, desperately looking for her cousin. "PHOEBE! Answer me! I can't feel you! PHOEBE!"

"Buffy…." Behind Angel, more debris moved and Piper slowly sat up, pushing the debris off. "Piper." He helped her to her feet.

"Angel…." Piper spotted Buffy tearing through the debris. "Oh!" She rushed over. "You're ok." She tried to hug Buffy, but the Slayer just kept tearing at the debris.

"I've got find to Phoebe, Piper." Buffy said, tears streaming down her dirty face. "I can't feel her." She finally saw a hand with a familiar tattoo on the wrist poking out from under a pile of debris. "Phoebe?" Buffy and Piper started throwing the pieces of wood away trying to uncover Phoebe. Buffy dropped to her knees and lifted the lifeless Phoebe into her arms. "Phoebe. Come on. Wake up. Wake up." Buffy started to cry as she rocked Phoebe. "Come on. Angel, heal her! Now!"

Angel kneeled down and tried to heal Phoebe. "Buffy…."

"Don't! Don't say it! She can't be gone. She can't be…. Phoebe! Wake up damn it! Wake up! Look at me. Look at me. Breathe, damn it. Come on. Wake up."

"Buffy…." Piper smoothed Buffy's hair from her face, tears falling from her eyes too.

"Piper, she can't be gone. She can't…."

A ball of light came down from the heavens, swirling down to the center of the destroyed Manor. It burst open and swirled like a twister to reveal the Angel of Destiny. She looked at Buffy, Angel, and Piper and opened the palm of her hand. A ball of light burst out, swirled around, and manifested into Leo. Leo looked around at the damage, stunned by what he saw.

He headed for Piper. "Piper." Piper shook her head as Leo approached. "Buffy…."

"The battle is over, though not as I expected." The Angel of Destiny said, leaving in a swirl of bright light that gathered into a single glowing ball that rose up back to the night sky.

Someone moaned and the sounds of wood shifting came from a few feet away. "Paige?" Piper got up and headed over to the sound to search for Paige. "Paige!" Leo wrapped his arms around Buffy as she rocked back and forth, holding her dead twin to her tightly. Piper rushed over to a pile of rubble. "Paige." She lifted up the wood pieces and found, "Billie."

Leo turned around just as Piper jumped on Billie and punched her in the face. She wrapped her hands around Billie's neck and started choking her.

"Piper!" Leo ran to stop her. "What are you doing? Stop!" Piper continued to choke Billie. "What's the matter with you? You're gonna kill her." Leo reached Piper and pulled her off Billie.

"No. Let go of me." Gasping for air, Billie got up and ran. Leo held Piper back as she tried to blast Billie. "Stop. You don't understand. Stop!" Piper got free and turned to see Billie running away. "Billie!" Piper blasted at her, but missed. The frame near her exploded. Billie stopped, turned, and looked at Piper. Piper raised her hands to blast her again, but Leo pulled her hands down and she blasted the broken doorframe. Billie ran out.

"Why did you do that? You let her get away." Piper cried.

"We need to get out of here, ok? There's nothing left for us here, ok? You understand me." Leo said as police sirens wailed in the distance and grew louder. "We've got to go."

"He's right." Angel said. "Come on, baby."

"Phoebe…." Buffy said weakly.

"We'll fix this. But right now, we have to leave." Angel helped Buffy to her feet after she gently laid Phoebe on the ground. "Come on." Angel took Piper's hand and she held onto Leo's hand and they orbed to Phoebe's loft.

Piper headed for the Book of Shadows as Leo turned the lights on. Piper picked up the Book, sat down next to Buffy on the couch, and started leafing through it. "Well, there's nothing in the Book that can fix this." Leo said.

"No, there's gotta be something." Piper said.

"There's not. And they can't undo what's already been done." Piper looked at Leo as he gently closed the Book. "Are you sure the boys and Alex are ok?"

"I'm sorry you had to come back to this." Tired and weary, Piper leaned forward and rested on Leo's shoulder as he held her.

Angel held out a hand from holding Buffy and healed Piper's wounds. Buffy was now withdrawn, pale, and nearly comatose. He knew there was a way to fix things. There had to be. He couldn't let Buffy stay like this.

Piper knocked on Victor's apartment door. He opened the door a moment later and found Buffy, Angel, and Piper standing there. "Hi, daddy." Piper said.

"Oh, sweetie, I'm so happy to see you guys." Leo stepped into the condo. "Leo!"

"Hello, Victor." Leo said.

"You're back? Well, I don't believe it. This is good, right?" Victor closed the door. "I mean, everything worked out all right?"

"Um…. maybe you should sit down." Piper said.

Victor finally noticed Buffy's face. "No, I don't want to sit down. What happened? What's going on?"

"Well, Phoebe and Paige, um…. they didn't make it."

"What?"

"But it's ok, I mean, I'm gonna fix it, I don't know how, but, I'm going to fix it."

"Where's Wyatt, Chris, and Alex?" Leo asked.

"Uh, sleeping." Leo exited the room.

"We need to, um, take them someplace, where nobody can find them so we can figure this out, do you understand?" Piper said.

"No. What about the Elders, can't they help?"

"Apparently not." Angel said.

"How about the rest of the magical community? W-what about that guy, uh, Coop?"

"How do you know about Coop?" Buffy asked, looking up at her uncle.

"Well, he was here yesterday, looking for Phoebe."

Leo returned to the room. "Who's Coop?"

"He's a Cupid." Buffy said quietly. "Who took Phoebe to see her past loves."

"So?" Victor said.

"So, maybe he can do the same for us."

"Good thinking." Piper said, relieved that Buffy was not only talking, but thinking clearly as well.

"Coop? If you can hear me, I need to talk to you now." Buffy called.

Coop flashed in. "Guys, if this is about Phoebe, she's made it very clear to me about the way that she feels, so…."

"Phoebe's…." Buffy couldn't say it. It hurt to bad to even think it.

"Phoebe's dead." Piper said for her, taking her hand and giving it a squeeze.

"What?"

"But if you lend me your ring, I think I can go back in time and save her." Buffy said. "It can do that, right? I mean, you can go back in time."

"Yeah, to follow love but…."

"Ok, so hand it over." Coop took the ring off and gave it to Buffy. "Ok, what do I do? Uh, how does it work?"

"You, uh, just think about that person, and, uh…. how much you love them. I…. I gotta tell you, it doesn't always work the way that you want it to, though, cause love, love isn't practical, it's, it's emotional."

"That's ok, it's all I've got."

"I'm going with you guys." Leo said. "I'm not losing you again." He said to Piper.

"I'm going too." Angel said.

"Keep it simple." Coop said. "Just follow your heart to one of them."

Buffy nodded and closed her eyes. "Phoebe." When she opened her eyes, they were standing in a bedroom with light and lace curtains. "This isn't right." They heard voices and turned to see Victor and Patty in bed, kissing.

Piper gasped. "Oh, my God."

"Demons!" Patty sat up and froze Leo and Angel. She clutched the bed sheet to her chest and gasped at Piper and Buffy unfrozen and still moving.

"What happened, why didn't they freeze?" Victor asked.

"I don't know…."

"Probably because I'm your daughter!" Piper snapped.

"And I'm your niece." Buffy added. "Hi."

"We'll let you get dressed." Angel and Leo escorted the women out.

Patty, Piper, Leo, Buffy, Angel, and Victor hurried down the stairs. "You must be pretty powerful witches, you know, to be able to come here from the future." Patty said.

"Oh no, it really didn't have much to do with us." Piper said.

"It was Coop's ring." Buffy said.

"Who's Coop, a future son?" Victor asked.

"No dad. Sorry. All girls." Piper said.

"Oh, you mean, it's just you and Prue, huh? And Joyce's daughter?" Patty asked.

"Maybe we shouldn't tell them too much, you know, changing the past might change the future." Leo said.

"Well, we've gotta tell them something, I mean, how are we going to figure out why we're here?" Piper said. "Coop'll fix it." Piper turned and looked at her parents. She couldn't help but laugh at the sight of them together holding hands and happy in love.

"What?" Patty asked.

"I'm just not used to…. seeing you guys holding hands, let alone…. never mind." Piper turned around and stepped on a stuffed rabbit. "Oh!" She picked up the stuffed toy. "Hey, I remember this. How old am I? I mean now, in your time."

"Almost three." Victor said.

Buffy nodded and looked at Piper. "So Prue would be five, and Phoebe…."

"Phoebe? Wait, who's Phoebe?" Patty asked.

"Not born yet." Piper said.

Buffy shook her head. "I don't understand how this happened, I was focusing on Phoebe, and it was supposed to take me back to when she would be alive again."

"Well, maybe it did, maybe we just over shot it a little bit." Angel said.

"A little?" Buffy glanced at Patty's flat stomach. "Try thirty years." Patty put a hand on her stomach in wonder as a woman would who realized she may be pregnant.

"Wait a minute, I'm still a little new…. with the witch thing, so…. what happened?" Victor asked.

"Well, we were…. trying to save Phoebe and Paige…." Piper said.

"Paige? Do you mean we have another daughter?" Patty asked.

"Yes, mom, you do."

"But the point is, is they died…. in a huge battle, and we were trying to go back in time to warn them." Buffy said. "But without the Power of Three, we had to use this." She pointed to Coop's ring.

"Wait, did you say the Power of Three? Then, that makes you The Charmed Ones, right? And you all came from me?"

"Well, yes, so…." Piper said.

"So, if I'm the mother of the Charmed Ones, and we could find the grandmother, then maybe we'd be able to recreate the Power of Three, at least in theory."

"Do you know what she's talking about?" Piper asked Leo.

"I'm talking about using our family magic to get you to where you want to go, instead of that silly ring. Could that thing take us to her? I mean your Grams. Because it'd be faster than driving. Look, you can't come barging in here from the future and tell me that two of my girls are dead…. without expecting me to help. So? Let's get going!" Patty placed herself between Piper and Buffy. "Oh, I'll be right back baby." She kissed Victor good-bye then looked at Buffy. "So Joyce has powers?"

"Uh…. No. I'm actually a Vampire Slayer slash witch."

"Wow."

"Ready?" Buffy closed her eyes and concentrated. "Grams." When they opened their eyes, they were standing in the same spot near the conservatory.

"What happened?" Leo asked.

"Where's Victor?" Patty asked.

Piper looked around the manor and picked up the stuffed rabbit from the table. It was now old and very used. "Now where are we?"

"Triple word score!" An older woman said.

"Hold it, that's not spelled right." An older man said.

Piper, Leo, Buffy, Angel, and Patty went to the conservatory as the older woman said. "Sure it is."

"No, it's not!" The older man said. Sitting at the table were the older woman and man in the middle of a game of Scrabble.

"No? Is that an official challenge?"

"Uh, excuse me?" Piper said.

The two older people turned without surprise to see them in their conservatory. "How do you spell Zankou, with a Z or X?" The older man asked them.

"That's cheating." The woman said.

"I'm not asking you, I'm asking…. me." He pointed to Leo. "Well?"

"Z." Leo said.

"Ha! Told you." Older Leo said.

Older Piper groaned and removed her pieces from the board as Piper said, "Uh, are you….?"

"The future you and Leo, yeah. And we've been expecting you." Older Leo said.

"Yeah, I baked cookies." Older Piper said.

The front door opened and a not-much-older-than-she-was-now Buffy bounced in. "Good, I didn't miss em!"

"Wow!" Buffy looked at her older self. "I age well."

Older Buffy snorted. "Just wait till you find out that secret!"

"Buffy, you shouldn't say too much." Older Leo warned.

"Yeah, yeah. I got that." Older Buffy plopped down on a chair at the table next to Piper. "So, what did I miss?"


	133. Chapter 133

Chapter 133

Buffy, Angel, Piper, Leo, and Patty sat on the sofa and chairs as Older Piper explained what was going on. Older Leo exited the kitchen carrying a small plate and a glass of water. "I just don't understand how…." Piper started.

"You were aiming for Grams, but you weren't specific enough." Older Piper said. "So you came to the future, where you're the Grams instead. And…." She gestured to Buffy and herself. "Here we are."

"Wait a minute." Buffy said. "I'm a grandmother? We're grandmothers?"

"Blows your mind, doesn't it?" Older Buffy asked.

"All right, hold on, I don't understand…." Leo said. "How do you know all this stuff, and how did you know we would come?"

"Because fifty years ago, we were sitting there, where you're sitting, talking to our future selves." Older Leo said.

"That's why we were expecting you." Older Piper said. "Now, you sure you don't want some cookies?"

"Uh, no. I think I'd rather have aspirin." Piper said.

Sure enough, Older Leo had a couple of aspirin on the small plate. "Like she said, we were expecting you." He gave the plate and the glass of water to Piper. "You remember when we were them? Oh, kicking butt, fighting demons."

"Losing you, getting you back, losing you again, aye." Older Piper laughed.

"And it was all worth it."

"Oh, you bet."

Patty was just amazed at the two of them. "Oh, that's so sweet!"

"Try living with it." Older Buffy quipped, poking Older Piper in the arm.

"I'm not living here again, am I?" Buffy asked.

"No, but Alex and Wyatt are still inseparable."

"Mm-hmm, you know what?" Piper said. "I'm just not…. quite ready for all of this, besides, we need to get back to save…."

"To save Phoebe and Paige." Older Piper finished. "Right, and the only way you're gonna be able to do that, is if you…."

"Ah, don't say too much hon, we don't want them to mess up the future." Older Leo warned.

"Well, isn't it already messed up?" Buffy asked.

"Oh, no. Not yet." Older Leo said. "Oh, and the future is worth saving, believe me."

Older Buffy looked at her younger self. "Just keep using the ring. You have to focus on who you want to go to with your heart, not with your head."

"That way you'll get to Grams, and then to Phoebe and Paige." Older Piper finished.

"But what do we do when we get there? How do we save them?" Patty asked.

"You get rid of the Hollow. Together." She pointed to them and looked at Patty with a knowing look.

"Ok, here we go again." Buffy said. She closed her eyes and focused on Grams with all her heart. When they opened their eyes, they were standing in the same spot near the conservatory.

"I think we're back in my time." Patty said.

"You want another tissue?" Grams said from another room.

"No, I'm ok." A little girl said.

They found Grams and a young Piper sitting on the sofa in the living room. "Well, you're more than ok, sweetie. You're very, very special and you need to know that." Grams said.

"Not as special as Prue, or even Phoebe. Everyone likes Phoebe."

"But you're special in your own way, Piper. I mean, you're kind and caring, you're the best little helper I've got. Plus, you are the only one who can keep your sisters…. from killing each other half the time. And you may not know it yet, but you've got gifts. The most…. the most amazing gifts, and someday, those gifts…. are gonna make you even more special."

"How?"

"Well, you'll see." Grams chuckled and gave little Piper a hug. "Now, run on upstairs and play with your sisters, ok? While I make dinner."

"Ok." Little Piper got up and left.

Patty brushed Piper's hair. "You loved your Grams."

Grams stood up and looked at the doorway where they were hiding. "Who's there?"

Patty stepped out from the doorway. "It's ok mom. It's just me."

"Oh, no. Mom…." Piper started.

Grams gasped. "Patty?" Grams' eyes rolled back and she fainted, hitting the floor with a thud.

"Mom!" Patty ran forward to help her. "Oh, what happened?" She knelt down to check on Grams, then turned back to look at the others. "Why'd she faint?"

"Oh, well, probably because you're dead." Piper said.

"Here." Angel stepped forward. "Let's get her on the couch." He scooped Grams up and gently laid her on the couch as Piper went to the kitchen. Patty tended to Grams, making sure she didn't have any bumps or bruises. Leo leaned against the doorframe and watched them from a distance. Buffy sat in one of the chairs, watching as well.

Piper returned carrying a glass of water. "How is she?"

"I think she's coming to." Leo said.

"No, I meant mom."

"Oh, I think it's more information overload than anything else."

"Yeah, well, welcome to the club." Piper sighed and looked at Leo. He was very quiet and thoughtful. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing." Piper just waited. "I just, uh, I was thinking about…. after you guys say the spell to get rid of the Hollow."

"Well, hopefully it'll work."

"Yeah, if it does, it means everyone's gonna come back to life, including Billie and Christy."

"Not for long, not if I have my way."

"And mine." Buffy added.

"Uh, until you do it means the ultimate battle wouldn't have been fought yet, which means the Angel of Destiny might take me away again until it is."

"Listen, all I know is that we will be playing Scrabble in the future, and I'm pretty sure you will be losing." Piper said.

"Oh, what happened? Where am I?" Grams said from the couch.

"You're ok, mom. You just fainted." Patty said.

"Well, of course I fainted. You're dead."

"Oh, yeah. I know, they just told me."

"Hi." Piper said.

"And who are you?" Grams asked.

"Well, believe it or not, I am Piper, from the future, and this is my lovely husband Leo…. From the future as well."

"And I'm Buffy…. I think I'm only about one here. Probably…. And this is my husband, Angel. We're from the future too."

"But I'm from the past, obviously." Patty said.

"I need a drink." Grams said, getting to her feet.

"Oh, mom."

"Okay, Grams, relax." Piper said. "I know this is all very complicated, but we don't have time to explain. Something very bad has happened in the future and we need your help to fix it."

"We have to save her sisters, mom. We have to save…. The Charmed Ones."

Grams' eyes widened and she sat back down. "The Charmed Ones?"

"Mm-hmm."

Grams turned and looked at Piper. "You become the Charmed Ones?" Piper nodded. Grams was suddenly all business and she surged to her feet. "What do we have to do?"

Buffy, Piper, Angel, Leo, Patty, and Grams flashed in to the dining room in the middle of the energy battle. Piper, Patty, and Grams started reading the counter spell to get rid of the Hallow. Once the spell was said, the Hollow left all of them. The streams of energy stopped completely. Past Buffy, Piper, Phoebe, and Paige looked at each other and turned to see Future Piper, Future Buffy, Patty, and Grams step out from the dining room with Leo and Angel behind them.

"What the….?" Past Piper started.

"Don't ask, you'll get a headache." Future Piper said as Future Billie came down the stairs. She stopped at the landing and suddenly, Future Billie flashed and was sucked completely into Past Billie. The two becoming one. A second later, Future Piper and Buffy flashed and were sucked completely into Past Piper and Buffy.

"Now, there's something you don't see every day." Grams said to Angel.

"What is going on?" Paige asked.

"Looks like time caught up with itself." Angel said.

"How did everybody get here?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, actually you have Coop to thank for that." Buffy said.

"What happened, what went wrong?" Christy asked.

"Not here." Billie threw a vial and a cloud of white smoke rose concealing them completely before they vanished.

"Oh, damn it." Piper said.

"It's ok, at least Phoebe and Paige are alive." Leo said.

"Right, but where's Prue?" Patty asked.

"Oh mom. Not now." Piper said.

A ball of light came down from the ceiling, twisting and swirling. It grew into a twister of orb lights materializing into the Angel of Destiny. "I'm sorry, but I have no choice." The Angel of Destiny turned to Leo.

"Wait, but I…." Piper started. In a swirl of orb lights, the Angel of Destiny vanished with Leo. The ball of light zoomed out the conservatory windows and left.

"Ok, so let me get this straight…." Phoebe said. She and Paige were being caught up with what was going on. Piper, Patty, Buffy, and Grams sat on the sofa facing them and Angel leaned against the fireplace mantel. "Because you guys altered a key moment in time by saving us…."

"And the Manor." Grams added.

"Right, because of all that, what is supposed to happen after this…. What? Won't happen?"

"Exactly, that kind of makes this, the new present." Patty said.

"Says the woman from the past." Paige said.

"Though a different past than mine." Grams said.

Phoebe looked at Paige. "Are you getting any of this?"

Paige shrugged. "Whatever, as long as we're alive again, that's all I care about, plus, it's really nice to see you guys again."

"Actually, we've never met." Patty said.

"Yeah, we have, but you were a ghost. Oh…. does she know?"

"Yes, yes, we know, we're both dead by now, we're over it." Grams said.

"Well, you speak for yourself." Patty retorted.

"Ok, the problem is: we're still right back to where we started with Leo, and if I'm gonna have that future, that I saw with him…." Piper said.

"Wait, you went to the future too?" Phoebe asked.

"We sure did miss a lot when we were dead." Paige said.

"Anyway, the point is, if I'm gonna get my husband back, we have a battle to finish." Piper said.

"And we're gonna have to get mom home safely, otherwise, Paige and I won't be born." Phoebe said.

"Good point." Patty said.

"Well, fantastic, are there any other problems we should be worrying about?" Paige asked.

No sooner said when a swirl of orb lights appeared in the living room and Future Wyatt and Chris arrived with a short blonde with ice blue eyes. "Wyatt!" Buffy said with a smile. "Chris. What are you two doing here? And is that Alex?"

"Hi mom! Hey daddy!" Alex waved and smiled.

"Somebody just screwed up our future." Chris said. "I mean, we don't know what happened, one minute…. everything's fine, we're kicking demon ass, and…."

"Actually, _I _was kicking some demon ass." Wyatt interrupted.  
"Oh, please. _I_ was kicking demon ass!" Alex said, smacking both boys on the arms. "I so had that demon in a headlock he wasn't getting out of."

"He was about to shimmer!" Chris said.

"That's not my fault! You boys were taking way too long with that damn spell!"

"Oh, pshh…." Chris shook his head.

Grams pointed her finger at the boys and Alex. "Watch your language."

"Sorry, Grams." Chris said.

"Wait, Grams? As in _THE _Grams?" Wyatt asked.

Chris nodded smugly. "Yeah."

"Uh, confused." Patty said. "Are these my future grandkids or yours?"

"No, yours." Piper said. "Well, except Alex. She's aunt Joyce's future grandkid."

Patty smiled and looked at the kids. "Oh, hi."

"As you were saying." Piper said.

"Suddenly, in the middle of all the fighting, everything changed." Chris said.

"And the demons started kicking our ass…. Butts…." Alex amended. "Butts, just because Wyatt here lost his powers."

"Wait, how did you loose your powers?" Buffy asked.

"That's the thing. We don't know." Wyatt said.

"So we cast a spell to take us back to when they were lost, and it took us…. here." Chris said. "To you."

"Maybe we messed up something without realizing it." Patty said.

"Well, with all the jumping around we've done, it's a wonder everything's not messed up." Grams said.

"No, it's gotta be Billie and Christy." Buffy said. "They used The Hollow to steal his powers."

"I'm gonna kill them." Piper said.

"Well, before you do that, we need to get Wyatt's powers back, otherwise, there's…. not going to be any future to save." Paige said.

"Well I think the only way to do that is to go back and stop them." Phoebe said.

"But how do we know exactly when to go back to?" Grams asked.

"I'll know, or at least I'm hoping little Wyatt might jog my memory." Wyatt said.

"Well, he's at dad's, I mean, grandpa's, um…." Piper looked at Chris. "Do you remember how to get there?"

"Yeah, absolutely." Chris said.

Patty smiled and got up eagerly. "I'll go, too."

"Um, but dad's gonna be there." Phoebe said.

"I know, I miss him. Besides, I'm dying to know what he looks like at this age."

"She, uh, doesn't know." Piper said.

"Apparently I hadn't chased him away yet." Grams said.

"What are you talking…." Patty groaned. "What don't I know?"

"All right, everybody go, but just, you know, hurry back if you find anything." Piper said.

Just then, Coop flashed in. "Hey." He turned and saw Phoebe. "Phoebe."

"Hi." Phoebe said.

"Thanks a lot for telling me she's alive." Coop gently pushed Buffy.

Buffy handed Coop's ring back to him. "You're welcome."

"Uncle Coop!" Wyatt gasped. Chris and Alex whacked Wyatt on each of his arms.

Phoebe whirled around and stared wide-eyed at Wyatt as he covered his mouth with his hands to stop himself from saying anything more. "Uncle Coop? What!"

Piper clapped her hands loudly and chased the boys out. "All right, everybody out, go!" Piper called.

"I'm staying with mom and dad." Alex said, moving to stand with her father.

"See ya." Wyatt waved as he and Chris took hold of Patty and orbed out.

Piper stood up. "Ok, let's get to the condo, and get to the Book."

Grams stood up to join them. "Wait for me."


	134. Chapter 134

Chapter 134

Piper tossed an ingredient into the potions pot in Phoebe's kitchen. Grams watched from across the table saying, "That's not nearly enough. Here, let me do it." She pushed Piper away from the pot and stood next to Paige.

"Wha…. I think I know how to do it, after all this time." Piper said as Grams added a touch more ingredients to the pot.

"It's Billie and Christy, they're not demons." Paige said.

"Well, they might as well be, from everything you've told me, which means we can't take any chances." Grams put the dish down and started stirring the pot. She looked at the Book and sighed with wonder and pride. "Oh, I can't get over how big this Book has gotten, hmm, I'm so proud of you girls."

"Then why don't you let me stir?" Piper grumbled. There was a knock at the door.

"Uh, Piper, why don't you get that?"

"Paige, why don't you get that?" Piper said.

"Buffy, why don't you get that?" Paige said, watching Grams.

"Great! _Now_ you pull the littlest sister card on me." Buffy grumbled as she stood up from sitting with her daughter on the couch. "Oh, no. I'm only 6 and a half months pregnant and talking with my daughter from the future." Buffy opened the door to find Henry.

"Hey Buffy." Henry said.

Buffy grumbled at him and turned away. "Paige! It's _your_ husband at the door." She walked away.

"Hey!" Paige said, walking over.

"Did I do something wrong?" Henry glanced at Buffy.

"Oh, no…. hormones. What are you doing here?"

"What am I doing here? I'm looking for my wife. She didn't come home last night. Are you ok?"

"Yes, I'm ok. Of course I'm ok. I mean, we weren't ok, ok. But now we're ok…. and I think in the future we're gonna be…. I think we're gonna be more than ok."

Henry stared at her. "Ok."

Grams leaned over to Buffy. "Don't tell me she marries a Whitelighter, too."

"Worse." Buffy said. "A mortal."

"Oh, good God, uh. Didn't I teach you girls anything?"

"Hey, what can I say, there's always 'Uncle Coop'." Buffy motioned to the bedroom.

Grams looked at Alex. "I don't want to hear any of this 'I married a whitelighter' stuff from you."

"Don't worry, Grams. I'm dating another witch." Alex looked at mom. "He's a total dreamboat. He just can't seem to get daddy's approval."

Buffy laughed. "I don't think anyone will get your father's approval. He's pretty protective of his little girl and I'm pretty sure that's never changing."

"There." Grams said, turning the stove off. "Are we ready?"

Piper walked over and knocked on the door. "Phoebe?" Phoebe opened the door. "The potion's done."

Grams, Alex, Angel, and Buffy orbed into the living room at the Manor at the same time Piper and Phoebe orbed in. Grams was carrying the Book of Shadows. "Ok, all we need to do now is find Billie and Christy." Paige said.

Billie stepped out from the hallway. "You don't have to look far." Ready for anything, they all turned around to face her. "Can we talk?" They didn't say anything. "Look, I am so sorry for what I've done to you guys, after everything you've done for me. I just wanted my sister back so badly, I couldn't even see that she was manipulating me."

"Well, that's very convenient, but how are we supposed to know this isn't a trap?" Buffy asked.

"Guess we have to let her talk." Paige said.

"Where's Christy?" Phoebe asked.

"I don't know." Billie said. "Probably at Magic School trying to figure out a way to kill you."

"But you're not." Grams said.

"No. No. That was before. They twisted everything to make us think we were doing the right thing."

"Who?" Piper asked.

"The Triad. They used us. They used Christy. They have spent the last fifteen years turning her into a killer. That's all they've cared about that's all they've wanted."

"We've already vanquished the Triad." Phoebe said.

"Well, Dumain will try and find a way to bring them back, I know it."

"Who's Dumain?" Angel asked.

"He's a demon, but he knows them better than anyone, and with Christy…. they will stop at nothing."

"Mom, are you here?" Wyatt called from the conservatory.

Piper put the potions bottle she was carrying down on the table beside her. "Keep an eye on her." Chris and Wyatt were waiting in the conservatory. Behind Piper, Buffy, Phoebe, and the others followed. "Where's mom, I mean, grandma?"

"She wanted to stay with grandpa to talk."

"Well, that had better be all that they're doing." Grams said.

"What did you find?" Piper asked.

"Well, Grandpa said that someone came and picked up little Wyatt, just before five in the afternoon yesterday." Chris said.

"Some man, but that's all I could get out of him." Wyatt said.

"Wait, what man?" Buffy asked.

"Dumain." Billie said. "He brought Wyatt to Christy and me to summon the Hollow."

"And then you stole his powers."

"We were being infected, we didn't have a choice."

Piper turned and glared at Billie. Her voice was low and dangerous as she said, "You used my son?"

"That is all in the past, dear." Grams said. "Now let's just focus on how to fix it now, ok?"

"Ok, so we have to go back in time to the day Dumain took Wyatt." Phoebe said.

"No, we have to go before that, I know him, he's gonna warn the Triad before you can vanquish them." Billie said.

"Then you have to get the ring." Buffy said to Phoebe.

Phoebe looked up and called. "Coop? Coop? We need you." They waited and nothing happened. "Something's wrong."

Chris sighed. He, Alex, and Wyatt shared a knowing look as Wyatt sighed. "Spit it out." Buffy ordered.

"The Elders sent Coop down to you, Phoebe, not just to help you find love, but to help you find him." Chris said.

"They were hoping you'd fall in love with a Cupid, it was the only way that they could make it up to you after everything you sacrificed." Wyatt said.

"And they weren't gonna put you through what aunt Piper and uncle Leo went through, so it wasn't and it will not be a forbidden love." Alex finished.

"Ok." Phoebe said. "Uh…. I don't know how that information helps us right now."

"Well, in the future, when you're together, you guys are like one." Wyatt said.

"All you have to do is think about him and he's there." Alex said.

Phoebe closed her eyes and concentrated. Coop appeared on the floor, grunting and groaning in pain. "Oh, my god. What happened?" Phoebe said as she and Angel helped Coop to his feet.

"I fought him for as long as I could." Coop said.

"Ok, who did this to you?"

"Some demon. I'm sorry he, uh, he took my ring." He showed them his ringless finger.

"We're too late. They're going back in time." Billie said. "But I can too."

In the back of the creepy room at Magic School, The Charmed Ones with Buffy and Billie appeared. "Get out of here!" The Dumain standing by Christy cried.

The Triad turned to see what was happening, but it was too late. As soon as they appeared, the girls threw the vials at the Triad. It hit them and burned them to shreds as they exploded. Before they could do anything, Piper blasted Future Dumain and he exploded. Christy gasped and stepped back. Past Dumain turned and realized he needed to get out of there. He started to shimmer out, but Piper blasted him as well and he exploded.

"I don't understand! How could this happen?" Christy cried.

"Billie projected us here." Buffy said.

"By focusing on you." Paige added.

"Paige." Piper said.

Paige held out her hand. "Ring!" Coop's ring orbed off of Christy's finger and into Paige's hand.

Feeling betrayed, Christy glared at Billie. "How could you?"

Billie stepped forward. "Christy, please, it's over, just come home."

There was too much hate and anger in Christy. With her mind, she powered up a fireball and sent it hurling toward Buffy and the Charmed Ones. Billie's hands automatically rose and she deflected the fireball back at Christy. It hit her, engulfing her in flames. She screamed as she was vanquished. Billie fell to her knees and broke down into gut-wrenching sobs. It was finally over.

Grams paced as everyone sat and waited in the conservatory. Finally, the girls flashed in. "Oh, thank God." Grams said.

"Is everything all right?" Piper asked. "Did anything…. change that wasn't supposed to?"

"Nope." Wyatt orbed over to stand next to Piper. "I got my powers back."

"I see that."

"Now, where's Billie?" Angel asked.

"She used her own power to get back." Buffy said.

"But she at least tried to help out, right?" Coop said. "I mean, tried to make amends at least."

"Yeah." Phoebe said.

From out of the ceiling, a ball of light descended, swirling and twisting in the air. The Angel of Destiny returned with Leo. "Ok, hang on a second, you're not gonna take him away again right?" Piper asked.

"No, this is the way the battle was supposed to end all along, and it's over." The Angel said. "Congratulations." The Angel of Destiny left in a swirling tornado of orbs.

Leo reached for Piper's hand. "Hi, there." Piper said as he pulled her into his arms and they kissed. Everyone cheered and applauded.

Coop opened his arms to Phoebe. "Come here." Phoebe smiled and headed into his arms, kissing him passionately.

Angel orbed over behind Buffy and wrapped his arms around her, kissing her neck. Just then, Patty and Victor carrying little Wyatt, little Alex, and little Chris entered the conservatory. "Did we miss anything?" Patty asked.

"Uh, no." Buffy said. "Well, we changed the past, fixed the future, and saved the present, that's all."

"What's that?" Victor asked.

"Yeah, if you haven't figured it out by now, ya probably won't." Paige said.

"Oh, it doesn't matter, just as long as everything's back to the way it's supposed to be." Phoebe said.

"It will be if you get us back." Grams said. "I mean otherwise, uh…."

"How are we gonna get them back?" Paige asked.

"Oh, I can take care of that." Coop said.

"Yeah, but how will you know where to take them back to?" Phoebe asked.

"Well, the ring will." Coop looked at Buffy. "If I can ever get it back." He winked at her. Buffy rolled her eyes and chucked the ring to Coop. He caught it and laughed.

"Just make sure you return them just before they were taken, that way they won't remember anything." Chris said.

"Oh, no, don't…. don't do that!" Grams said. "I mean there are so many things, wonderful things that I just don't want to forget, you know."

"There's just as much I don't ever want to know." Patty said. "Like what happened to Prue. Victor told me."

"Oh, mom." Piper said.

"That's all right. I know everything happens for a reason. I believe that. I also know that when one door closes another one opens."

"Thank you for coming by." Victor said to Patty.

"Anytime."

Victor kissed the top of Patty's head and everyone mixed and hugged each other.

Buffy, Phoebe, and Paige sat at the dining room table with their cups of hot tea to drink. It was their Saturday afternoon together without the kids or the husbands. Piper, who had disappeared only a few minutes after the tea had been poured, stepped down from the stairs and entered the room carrying the Book of Shadows. She put the Book on the dining room table.

"Don't tell me we have to go fight a demon." Paige said.

"No, I don't think we'll have to do that anytime soon." Piper said.

"Then, what's with the Book?" Buffy asked.

"Well, I think we should write everything down. Everything that happened, everything we want future generations to know, so that we can pass it down, just like it was passed down to us. After you." Piper turned the Book toward Phoebe.

As Phoebe found a blank page, Piper took a pen out and put it on the table in front of her. Phoebe picked up the pen and uncapped it.

"_So much has happened over the last eight years, so much has been gained and lost, still, in some ways, I feel like my life is really just beginning. And it was. For though I had loved before, I'd never really known love, until I met Coop. A man who I shared this special little girl I had long ago foreseen, but feared I might never have. Along with two other special little girls, I had not foreseen. I was suddenly so blessed to have a new family of my own, and old friends to share it with. And though I kept working and giving advice to those who asked, I was more interested in helping them find love, since, finally, having been loved._"

Buffy took the pen next and began her story. "_When Connor was born, it marked the beginning of a new era in my life. There weren't any demons to take on, so there was really no need for a Slayer. That mantle would be passed on to my daughter Alexis when the time came for it so she could fight at Wyatt and Chris's side like I'd fought at Piper, Phoebe, and Paige's side. Connor and his sister Madison were both powerful beings unto themselves. Just like their cousin Wyatt, they were half whitelighter, half witch, and all about the greater good. Together with their sister Alex and their cousins, Wyatt and Chris, the world and their families would be safe. And me? To reward me for all my years as a Slayer and fighting the dark forces, the Elders granted me a longer lifespan so that I could watch over my children and be with my beloved Angel, the man who I would still willingly sacrifice my life for, the father of my children, and the love of my life, until the time came when it was time to move on to the next life._"

Paige took the offered pen from Buffy. "_As for me? Life without demons opened up similar avenues. Henry of course, continued to look after his parolees, even if they didn't want to be looked after while still making time to help me with little Henry and the twins. Which allowed me time to finally embrace my inner Whitelighter. And to help the next generation of witches come into their own._"

Piper finished the whole thing off. "_So that Paige could pass on all that she'd learned, not just to her own children, or to mine, or to Phoebe's, or to Buffy's…. but to other future witches and whitelighters as well. Which filled the time between when we were doing the fighting, and when our kids were old enough to take over, allowing me time to get back to my roots and cook something other than potions, for once and open the restaurant I'd always dreamed of owning. As for Leo, after we reclaimed Magic School he went back to teaching. Which he continued to do until it was time to retire. And although we certainly had our struggles and heartaches over the years, we're a family of survivors, and we will always be. Which is why we've truly…. Been Charmed._"

The End


End file.
